Oracle Applications 11i Concepts_new

Oracle® ApplicationsConcepts

Release 11i (11.5.9)

Part No. B10642-01

May 2003

.

Oracle Applications Concepts, Release 11i (11.5.9)

Part No. B10642-01

Copyright © 2000, 2003 Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.

Contributors: Michael Bernstein, Eric Bing, Anne Carlson, Subash Chadalavada, Steven Chan, IvoDujmovic, Carole Eubanks, Michael Fiore, Ric Ginsberg, Cliff Godwin, Billy Greene, Jeff Lunn, K.R.Narayanan, Kent Noble, Emily Nordhagen, Lisa Parekh, Andrew Rist, Joan Ryan, Greg Seiden, YunShaw, Leslie Studdard, Keith M. Swartz, Millie Wang

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Contents

Send Us Your Comments .................................................................................................................. vii

Preface............................................................................................................................................................ ix

How To Use This Guide ....................................................................................................................... ixOnline Documentation.................................................................................................................... xiRelated User’s Guides..................................................................................................................... xiGuides Related to All Products .................................................................................................... xiiInstallation and System Administration ..................................................................................... xiiOther Implementation Documentation....................................................................................... xiiiTraining and Support..................................................................................................................... xv

1 Oracle Applications Architecture

Overview .............................................................................................................................................. 1-1The Desktop Tier ................................................................................................................................ 1-2

Forms Client Applet..................................................................................................................... 1-3Oracle JInitiator............................................................................................................................. 1-4

The Application Tier .......................................................................................................................... 1-4Web Server..................................................................................................................................... 1-5The Forms Server.......................................................................................................................... 1-9Concurrent Processing Server................................................................................................... 1-11Business Intelligence System (BIS)........................................................................................... 1-12Reports Server ............................................................................................................................. 1-13Discoverer Server........................................................................................................................ 1-14Admin Server .............................................................................................................................. 1-15

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The Database Tier ............................................................................................................................. 1-16Features of the Oracle Applications Technology Layer............................................................. 1-17

Oracle Applications DBA (AD) ................................................................................................ 1-17Oracle Common Modules (AK)................................................................................................ 1-17Oracle Applications Utilities (AU) ........................................................................................... 1-18Oracle Workflow......................................................................................................................... 1-18Oracle Alert (ALR)...................................................................................................................... 1-19Oracle Application Object Library (AOL/FND).................................................................... 1-19

2 Release 11i Enhancements

The E-Business Suite Home Page .................................................................................................... 2-1Oracle Applications Manager........................................................................................................... 2-2Features Enabled by the Oracle Applications Technology Layer.............................................. 2-3Features Enabled by the Oracle Database Platform..................................................................... 2-4

Performance Features................................................................................................................... 2-4Business Intelligence .................................................................................................................... 2-6Scalability ....................................................................................................................................... 2-6

3 Internationalization Support

Language Support ............................................................................................................................... 3-1Languages and Character Sets on the Database Tier............................................................... 3-2Language and Character Sets on the Application Tier ........................................................... 3-3Character Sets on the Desktop Tier ............................................................................................ 3-4External Documents ..................................................................................................................... 3-4Globalization and Localization................................................................................................... 3-5Dates and Numbers...................................................................................................................... 3-5Multiple Reporting Currencies ................................................................................................... 3-6

NLS-Independent Application Servers .......................................................................................... 3-6NLS Settings ........................................................................................................................................ 3-7

4 File System

Top-Level Directories ......................................................................................................................... 4-2The <dbname>DATA Directory ....................................................................................................... 4-3<dbname>DB and <dbname>ORA Directories............................................................................ 4-3

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The <dbname>COMN Directory..................................................................................................... 4-4The <dbname>APPL Directory........................................................................................................ 4-6

Product Directories....................................................................................................................... 4-7Language Files ............................................................................................................................ 4-11Core Technology Directories .................................................................................................... 4-11Distributing the APPL_TOP Across Disks.............................................................................. 4-12

Environment Settings ...................................................................................................................... 4-13

5 Data Model

Basic Data Model ................................................................................................................................ 5-1Oracle User IDs ............................................................................................................................. 5-1APPS Schema ................................................................................................................................ 5-2Custom Schema Access ............................................................................................................... 5-3Data Access.................................................................................................................................... 5-4

Multiple Organization (Multi-Org) Architecture......................................................................... 5-4Overview........................................................................................................................................ 5-4Multi-Org Partitioned Objects .................................................................................................... 5-5Convert to Multi-Org ................................................................................................................... 5-6

Multiple Reporting Currencies ........................................................................................................ 5-6Functional Currencies .................................................................................................................. 5-6Setting Up the Primary Responsibility...................................................................................... 5-7MRC Architecture......................................................................................................................... 5-9

Oracle9i Server Organization and Requirements ...................................................................... 5-12Oracle9i Server Tablespaces...................................................................................................... 5-12Oracle Applications Tablespaces.............................................................................................. 5-13Database Block Size.................................................................................................................... 5-14Sizing Factor ................................................................................................................................ 5-14

Glossary

Index

v

Send Us Your Comments

Oracle Applications, Concepts, Release 11i (11.5.9)

Part No. B10642-01

We welcome your comments and suggestions on the quality and usefulness of this publication. Yourinput is an important part of the information used for revision.

■ Did you find any errors?■ Is the information clearly presented?■ Do you need more information? If so, where?■ Are the examples correct? Do you need more examples?■ What features did you like most about this manual?

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vii

Preface

How To Use This GuideOracle Applications Concepts provides basic information on how the OracleApplications software and databases are configured, and how you can implementthem in a network installation.

This book contains the following chapters:

■ Chapter 1 provides an explanation of Oracle Applications architecture.

■ Chapter 2 describes enhancements in Release 11i.

■ Chapter 3 describes aspects of internationalization support.

■ Chapter 4 describes the file system that the Rapid Install wizard creates duringinstallation.

■ Chapter 5 describes the Oracle Applications data model.

■ The Glossary provides definitions to terms you may encounter when installing.

ix

ConventionsThe following conventions are used in this book:

Documentation AccessibilityOur goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentationaccessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, ourdocumentation includes features that make information available to users ofassistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and containsmarkup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Standards will continue toevolve over time, and Oracle Corporation is actively engaged with othermarket-leading technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that ourdocumentation can be accessible to all of our customers.

For additional information, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program Web site athttp://www.oracle.com/accessibility/

Accessibility of Code Examples in DocumentationJAWS, a Windows screenreader, may not always correctly read the code examples inthis document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces shouldappear on an otherwise empty line; however, JAWS may not always read a line oftext that consists solely of a bracket or brace.

Convention Meaning

UNIX:Windows:

Indicates platform-specific information. This guide containsinformation for both UNIX and Windows platforms.

$ or C:\> Represents the platform-specific command prompt. Yourprompt may differ.

Monospace text Represents command line text. Type this text exactly as shown.

< > Text enclosed in angle brackets represents a variable. Substitutea value for the variable text. Do not type the brackets.

[ ] Encloses optional items or indicate a function key. Do not typethe brackets.

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\ In examples of commands you type online, a backslash at theend of a line signifies that you must type the entire command onone line. Do not type the backslash.

x

Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in DocumentationThis documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies ororganizations that Oracle Corporation does not own or control. Oracle Corporationneither evaluates nor makes any representations regarding the accessibility of theseWeb sites.

Other Information SourcesYou can choose from many sources of information, including online documentation,training, and support services, to increase your knowledge and understanding ofOracle Applications.

If this guide refers you to other Oracle Applications documentation, use only theRelease 11i versions of those guides.

Online DocumentationAll Oracle Applications documentation is available online (HTML or PDF).

■ Online Help - The new features section in the HTML help describes newfeatures in 11i. This information is updated for each new release of OracleApplications. The new features section also includes information about anyfeatures that were not yet available when this guide was printed. For example,if your administrator has installed software from a mini-packs an upgrade, thisdocument describes the new features. Online help patches are available onOracleMetaLink.

■ 11i Features Matrix - This document lists new features available by patch andidentifies any associated new documentation. The new features matrixdocument is available on OracleMetaLink.

■ Readme File - Refer to the readme file for patches that you have installed tolearn about new documentation or documentation patches that you candownload.

Related User’s GuidesYou can read the guides online by choosing Library from the expandable menu onyour HTML help window, by reading from the Oracle Applications DocumentLibrary CD included in your media pack, or by using a Web browser with a URLthat your system administrator provides.

If you require printed guides, you can purchase them from the Oracle Store athttp://oraclestore.oracle.com.

xi

Guides Related to All Products

Oracle Applications User’s GuideThis guide explains how to enter data, query, run reports, and navigate using thegraphical user interface (GUI) available with this release of Oracle Applications.This guide also includes information on setting user profiles, as well as running andreviewing reports and concurrent processes.

You can access this user’s guide online by choosing ”Getting Started with OracleApplications” from any Oracle Applications help file.

Installation and System Administration

Installing Oracle ApplicationsThis guide provides instructions for managing the installation of OracleApplications products. In Release 11i, much of the installation process is handledusing Oracle Rapid Install, which minimizes the time to install Oracle Applications,the Oracle8 technology stack, and the Oracle8i Server technology stack byautomating many of the required steps. This guide contains instructions for usingOracle Rapid Install and lists the tasks you need to perform to finish yourinstallation. You should use this guide in conjunction with individual productuser’s guides and implementation guides.

Upgrading Oracle ApplicationsRefer to this guide if you are upgrading your Oracle Applications Release 10.7 orRelease 11.0 products to Release 11i. This guide describes the upgrade process andlists database and product-specific upgrade tasks. You must be either at Release 10.7(NCA, SmartClient, or character mode) or Release 11.0, to upgrade to Release 11i.You cannot upgrade to Release 11i directly from releases prior to 10.7.

Maintaining Oracle ApplicationsUse this guide to help you run the various AD utilities, such as AutoUpgrade,AutoPatch, AD Administration, AD Controller, AD Relink, License Manager, andothers. It contains how-to steps, screenshots, and other information that you need torun the AD utilities. This guide also provides information on maintaining theOracle applications file system and database.

xii

Oracle Applications System Administrator’s GuideThis guide provides planning and reference information for the Oracle ApplicationsSystem Administrator. It contains information on how to define security, customizemenus and online help, and manage concurrent processing.

Oracle Alert User’s GuideThis guide explains how to define periodic and event alerts to monitor the status ofyour Oracle Applications data.

Oracle Applications Developer’s GuideThis guide contains the coding standards followed by the Oracle Applicationsdevelopment staff. It describes the Oracle Application Object Library componentsneeded to implement the Oracle Applications user interface described in the OracleApplications User Interface Standards for Forms-Based Products. It also providesinformation to help you build your custom Oracle Forms Developer 6i forms so thatthey integrate with Oracle Applications.

Oracle Applications User Interface Standards for Forms-Based ProductsThis guide contains the user interface (UI) standards followed by the OracleApplications development staff. It describes the UI for the Oracle Applicationsproducts and how to apply this UI to the design of an application built by usingOracle Forms.

Other Implementation Documentation

Oracle Applications Product Update NotesUse this guide as a reference for upgrading an installation of Oracle Applications. Itprovides a history of the changes to individual Oracle Applications productsbetween Release 11.0 and Release 11i. It includes new features, enhancements, andchanges made to database objects, profile options, and seed data for this interval.

Multiple Reporting Currencies in Oracle ApplicationsIf you use the Multiple Reporting Currencies feature to record transactions in morethan one currency, use this manual before implementing your Oracle Applicationsproducts. This manual details additional steps and setup considerations forimplementing Oracle Applications products with this feature.

xiii

Multiple Organizations in Oracle ApplicationsThis guide describes how to set up and use Oracle Applications' MultipleOrganization support feature, so you can define and support different organizationstructures when running a single installation of your Oracle products.

Oracle Workflow Administrator’s GuideThis guide explains how to complete the setup steps necessary for any OracleApplications product that includes workflow-enabled processes, as well as how tomonitor the progress of runtime workflow processes.

Oracle Workflow Developer's GuideThis guide explains how to define new workflow business processes and customizeexisting Oracle Applications-embedded workflow processes. It also describes howto define and customize business events and event subscriptions.

Oracle Workflow User's GuideThis guide describes how Oracle Applications users can view and respond toworkflow notifications and monitor the progress of their workflow processes.

Oracle Workflow API ReferenceThis guide describes the APIs provided for developers and administrators to accessOracle Workflow.

Oracle Applications Flexfields GuideThis guide provides flexfields planning, setup and reference information for theOracle Applications implementation team, as well as for users responsible for theongoing maintenance of product data. This manual also provides information oncreating custom reports on flexfields data.

Oracle eTechnical Reference ManualsEach eTechnical Reference Manual (eTRM) contains database diagrams and adetailed description of database tables, forms, reports, and programs for a specificOracle Applications product. This information helps you convert data from yourexisting applications, integrate Oracle Applications data with non-Oracleapplications, and write custom reports for Oracle Applications products. OracleeTRM is available on OracleMetaLink.

xiv

Oracle Manufacturing APIs and Open Interfaces ManualThis manual contains up-to-date information about integrating with other OracleManufacturing applications and with your other systems. This documentationincludes API’s and open interfaces found in Oracle Manufacturing.

Oracle Order Management Suite APIs and Open Interfaces ManualThis manual contains up-to-date information about integrating with other OracleManufacturing applications and with your other systems. This documentationincludes API’s and open interfaces found in Oracle Order Management Suite.

Oracle Applications Message Reference ManualThis manual describes all Oracle Applications messages. This manual is available inHTML format on the documentation CD-ROM for Release 11i.

Training and Support

TrainingOracle offers a complete set of training courses to help you and your staff reach fullproductivity quickly. These courses are organized into functional learning paths, soyou take only those courses appropriate to your job or area of responsibility.

You have a choice of educational environments. You can attend courses offered byOracle University at any one of our many Education Centers, you can arrange forour trainers to teach at your facility, or you can use Oracle Learning Network(OLN), Oracle University's online education utility. In addition, Oracle trainingprofessionals can tailor standard courses or develop custom courses to meet yourneeds. For example, you may want to use your organization structure, terminology,and data as examples in a customized training session delivered at your ownfacility.

SupportFrom onsite support to central support, our team of experienced professionalsprovides the help and information you need to keep Oracle Applications workingfor you. This team includes your Technical Representative, Account Manager, andOracle’s large staff of consultants and support specialists with expertise in yourbusiness area, managing an Oracle9i server, and your hardware and softwareenvironment.

xv

Oracle Applications Archite

1
Oracle Applications Architecture
This chapter describes Oracle Applications architecture and some of the featuresthat this architecture supports. The following topics are included:

■ Overview

■ The Desktop Tier

■ The Application Tier

■ The Database Tier

■ Features of the Oracle Applications Technology Layer

OverviewOracle Applications architecture is a framework for multitiered, distributedcomputing that supports Oracle Applications products. In this model, variousservices are distributed among multiple levels, or tiers.

A Service is a process or group of processes running on a single machine thatprovides a particular functionality. The HTTP service, for example, is a process thatlistens for and processes HTTP requests, and the Forms service is a process thatlistens for and processes requests for Oracle Forms.

A tier is a grouping of services, potentially across physical machines. The tiers thatcompose Oracle Applications are the database tier, which manages the Oracledatabase; the application tier, which manages Oracle Applications and other tools;and the desktop tier, which provides the user interface display. Only thepresentation layer of Oracle Applications is on the desktop tier in the form of aplug-in to a standard Internet browser.

Note that the tiers are logical groupings, and do not represent physical nodes ormachines. Each tier can consist of one or more nodes and each node can

cture 1-1

The Desktop Tier

accommodate more than one tier. For instance, the database server can reside onthe same node as one or more servers in the application tier.

Because Oracle Applications software is centralized, the need to install andmaintain application software on each desktop client is eliminated. The software onthe application tier also enables Oracle Applications to scale with load and to keepnetwork traffic low.

Figure 1–1 Oracle Applications Architecture

The connection between the application tier and the desktop tier can operate over aWAN. The desktop and application tiers exchange a minimum amount ofinformation, such as field value comparison differences. In a global operation withusers at diverse locations, less network traffic means less telecommunicationsexpense and better performance.

The Desktop TierThe client interface is provided through HTML for the Self-Service interface, and aJava applet for the professional, forms-based interface using a Java-enabled Web

1-2 Oracle Applications Concepts

The Desktop Tier

browser. The desktop client with Oracle JInitiator downloads the applet on demandand the applet is cached locally for future use.

Figure 1–2 Desktop TIer Architecture

Forms Client AppletThe Forms client applet is a general-purpose presentation applet that supports allOracle Applications Forms-based products, including those with customizationsand extensions. The Forms client applet is packaged as Java archive (JAR) files.The JAR files contain all Java classes required to run the presentation layer of OracleApplications forms.

The Forms client applet and commonly used JAR files are downloaded from theWeb server at the beginning of the client’s first session. Other less commonly usedJAR files are downloaded as needed. The JAR files remain in the disk cache on thedesktop, ready for future sessions, minimizing network traffic.

All updates are installed on the application tier and downloaded to the clientautomatically through the use of the JInitiator-enabled Web browser.

Oracle Applications Architecture 1-3

The Application Tier

Oracle JInitiatorThe Forms client applet must run within a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) on thedesktop. For Oracle Applications, the JVM is supplied by Oracle JInitiator. OracleJInitiator works in conjunction with the Web browser. It is implemented on thedesktop client as a plug-in (Netscape Communicator) or ActiveX component(Microsoft Internet Explorer).

When a user enters the desired Oracle Applications signon URL within the Webbrowser, Oracle JInitiator is executed. If Oracle JInitiator has not been installed, theWeb browser prompts the user to download the necessary installation executable tothe desktop client. Once installed, Oracle JInitiator runs the Forms client applet andstarts an Oracle Applications session.

The Application TierThe application tier hosts the servers that process the business logic and providesthe communication between the desktop tier and the database tier. This tier is alsoreferred to as the middle tier. Oracle 9i Application Server (9iAS) provides thetechnology stack used on the application tier. Six servers comprise the applicationtier for Oracle Applications:

■ Web server

■ Forms server

■ Concurrent Processing server

■ Reports server

■ Discoverer server (optional)

■ Admin server



Load BalancingThe application tier supports load balancing among many of its servers to providehigher availability, fault tolerance, reliability, and optimal scalability.

Load balancing occurs when there are multiple installations of the following:

■ Web server

■ Forms server

■ Reports server

■ Concurrent Processing server

■ Discoverer server

Web ServerThe Oracle HTTP server (powered by Apache) is the Web server. It processes therequests received over the network from the desktop clients. It includes additionalcomponents such as:

■ Web Listener

■ Java Servlet Engine

■ Portal

■ Java Server Pages (JSP)

The Web listener component of the Oracle HTTP server accepts incoming HTTPrequests (URLs) from desktop clients (browsers). If possible, the Web serverservices the requests itself, for example, by returning an HTML web page.

If the page referenced by the URL needs advanced processing, the listener passesthe request on to the servlet engine, which contacts the database server as needed.



Self-Service Applications ArchitectureThe Oracle Self-Service Applications:

■ Do not use Oracle Forms for the interface

■ Are designed in pure HTML and JavaScript

■ Dynamically generate HTML pages by executing Java code

■ Use a metadata dictionary for flexible layout

■ JRAD (Oracle Applications Extensions to JDeveloper) in OA Framework 5.7

■ Operate by direct connection to the Web server

OA Framework is the development and deployment platform for self-serviceapplications. It is a 100% Java, middle-tier application framework and services forthe rapid development and deployment of HTML-based applications.

OA Framework-based applications logic is controlled by procedures that executethrough the Java servlet engine. The Apache JServ module provides the Java servletengine. For the Self-Service Applications, the Web server communicates with thedatabase using JDBC.



Figure 1–3 Self-Service Applications Architecture

Java Servlet Access with Self-Service Applications When using a Java Server Page (JSP),the Self-Service module uses the following access path:

1. The user clicks the hyperlink of a function from a browser.

2. The browser makes a URL request to the Web listener.

3. The Web listener contacts the Servlet engine (JServ) where it runs a JSP.

4. The JSP obtains the content from the Applications tables and uses informationfrom the metadata dictionary to construct the presentation of the HTML page.

5. The resulting HTML page is passed back to the browser, by way of the Webserver.



Oracle Applications Framework Architecture Following is a more detailed description ofthe processing that occurs in Step 4 of the previous section. Oracle ApplicationsFramework uses additional components, including:

■ BC4J (Business Components for Java), included in Oracle JDeveloper, is used tocreate Java business components for representing business logic. It alsoprovides a mechanism for mapping relational tables to Java objects. It allowsthe separation of the application business logic from the UI.

■ AOL/J provides the Oracle Applications Framework with underlying securityand applications Java services. It provides the Oracle Applications Frameworkwith its connection to the database and with application-specific functionality,such as flexfields and attachments.

Figure 1–4 Oracle Applications Framework Architecture



Oracle Applications Framework Architecture1. AOL/J validates user access to the page.

2. The page definition is loaded from the Metadata Repository on the database tierinto the applications tier (Metadata UI Definition).

3. The BC4J objects that contain the applications logic and access the database areinstantiated.

4. The Java Controller programmatically manipulates the page definition asnecessary based on dynamic UI rules.

5. UIX (HTML UI Generator) interprets the page definition and creates thecorresponding HTML in accordance with UI standards and sends the page tothe browser.

The Forms ServerThe Forms server hosts the Oracle Applications forms and the forms runtimeengine that support the professional interface. The Forms server is an OracleDeveloper 6i component which mediates the communication between the desktopclient and the Oracle data server by displaying client screens and initiating changesin the database records based on user actions.

The Forms server caches data and provides it to the client as needed, such as whenscrolling through multiple order lines that exceed the limitations of a single screen.

The Forms server communicates with the desktop client using these protocols:

■ Secure HTTPS network connection

■ Standard HTTP network connection

■ TCP/IP connection

HTTP and HTTPS support enables operation over a firewall. The Forms servercommunicates with the Oracle data server using Net8.

Forms Server ArchitectureWhen a user initiates an action in the Forms client applet, such as entering data intoa field or clicking a button, data is passed to the Forms server on the applicationtier. The user interface logic runs in the Forms server and determines theappropriate user interface effect based on the user’s action. For example, a windowmay open or another field value may be populated. If necessary, the database tier is



contacted for any data not already cached on the application tier, or fordata-intensive processing.

Figure 1–5 Forms Server Architecture

Once a connection has been made, many operations can be performed with little orno interaction with the Forms server.

For example, when a few field values change in response to a user action, there is noneed to update the entire screen. In this scenario, only the changed fields areupdated with the new values.

Load Balancing Among Forms ServersOracle Applications supports automatic load balancing among multiple Formsservers. In a load-balancing configuration, all Forms server requests have a singlepoint of coordination called the Metrics Server, located on one application server.Metrics clients located on the other application servers periodically send loadinformation to the Metrics Server so that it can determine which application serverhas the lightest load.



Figure 1–6 Forms Server Load Balancing

1. The client requests a Forms session and the request is sent to the Load Balancer(Metrics Server) via the Web Listener.

2. The load balancer determines the least-loaded Forms server and returns itsname in the form of an HTML page.

3. The client can now access the least-loaded Forms server directly.

4. From this point on, all communication is between the client desktop and thedesignated Forms server.

Concurrent Processing ServerUser interactions with Oracle Applications data are conducted through theSelf-Service Applications and the Forms-based Professional interface. However,there are reporting programs and data updating programs that run periodically onan ad hoc basis. These programs, which operate in the background while userscontinue to work on other tasks, may contain a very large number of data-intensivecomputations. To ensure that they do not interfere with interactive operations, theyare run on the Concurrent Processing server.

Processes that run on the Concurrent Processing server are called concurrentrequests. When you submit a request, either through Forms or Self-ServiceApplications, a row is inserted into a database table specifying the program to berun. Concurrent managers read the applicable requests in the table and start theconcurrent programs. The Internal Concurrent Manager service monitors thedatabase table for new requests, controls the other concurrent managers, and



determines when a request should be processed and which concurrent managershould carry it out.

Log and output files are generated on the Concurrent Processing server.

Figure 1–7 Viewing Concurrent Processing Output

Accessing Concurrent Processing Output The Concurrent Processing servercommunicates with the data server using Net8. The resultant log or output filefrom a concurrent request is passed back to the Report Review Agent, also knownas the Web Review Agent. The Report Review Agent passes a file containing theentire report to the Forms server. The Forms server passes the report back to theuser’s browser one page at a time. You can use profile options to control the size ofthe files and pages passed through the system.

Business Intelligence System (BIS)The Business Intelligence System is a decision support solution integrated withOracle Applications. Using the BIS products, a manager can query the OracleApplications database to monitor recent business performance across multipleorganizations. For example, a manager can set a sales goal and then use BIS todetermine how close actual sales amounts are to the goal. A manager can settolerances and have the system inform people when those tolerances are exceeded.With the BIS Performance Manager Framework, some corrective actions can beperformed automatically. If, for example, sales actual amounts are more than 10%below goals, BIS can send automatic notifications to regional sales managers.

BIS products do not use the Forms server or Forms client. Instead, BIS products usethe Oracle Discoverer server and Oracle Reports server on the application tier. A



Java applet running on the desktop client communicates with the HTTP server,which connects to the Oracle Discoverer server or Oracle Reports server. TheDiscoverer server provides ad hoc analysis; the Reports server uses summary tablessuch as monthly aggregates of data, and returns them to the browser as HTML.

Reports ServerThe Reports server is used primarily to produce reports for BIS products. It isautomatically installed on the same node as the Concurrent Processing server andits reports are contained in the same directory with the concurrent processingreports. However, reports generated by the Reports server are monitored andadministered separately from concurrent processing reports.

The Reports server dynamically selects language at runtime and users see eachreport in the preferred language.

Reports Server ArchitectureThe request for an HTML-based report is similar to the flow of a Self-ServiceApplications request:

Figure 1–8 Reports Server Architecture

1. The user clicks the hyperlink of a function from a browser.

2. The browser makes a URL request to the Web listener.



3. The Web listener contacts the Reports server through the reports Web CGI. Thereports Web CGI allows the desktop client to run reports and see the outputthrough the Web browser.

4. The Reports server starts the Reports runtime engine.

5. The Reports runtime engine locates the necessary reports and connects to thedatabase to query the requested information.

6. The queried information is presented to the user in the form of an HTML page.

Clustering and Load ManagementWhen there are a large number of BIS users, it may be beneficial to have multipleReports servers.

In this configuration, one of the Reports servers is designated as the master server.The master Reports server receives the initial request and distributes it to one of theother Reports servers depending on the load each can handle. The master Reportsserver is capable of determining how many runtime engines each of the Reportsservers can support.

Release 11i supports multiple languages on a single Reports server.

Discoverer ServerThe Discoverer server complements the Reports server as a tool to perform ad hocqueries and analysis of the resultant query output. It also allows users to performprojections as various business and strategic factors are changed.

End User LayerThe End User Layer is the key to providing ease of use. The End User Layer is alayer of metadata that sits in the Oracle Applications database, but on top of theOracle Applications data.

Oracle Discoverer hides the complexity of the database and converts it to an easy tounderstand interface for users. It maps the unfamiliar terms in the database, suchas tables and columns, to familiar terms for the user. Therefore, analysts ormanagers with no database syntax familiarity can access key information usingterms common to them, such as customer, name, and revenue.

The End User Layer is one of the key components of the Discoverer process. It is inthe database, but is separate from the Oracle Applications data.



There are two important software packages that access the End User Layer. Theyare:

■ Administrator Edition - allows the creation of the End User Layer and managesthe administration of responsibilities and roles.

■ User Edition - used to create workbooks (saved queries) and view informationabout the business. Oracle provides predefined workbooks which can be usedas bases for ad hoc queries.

In Release 11.0, the User Edition was located on the client. For Release 11i, it islocated in the Discoverer server. This allows for central administration of thesoftware.

Admin ServerThe Admin server is located on the node where you maintain the data model anddata in your Oracle Applications database. You carry out the following operationsfrom this server:

■ Upgrading Oracle Applications

This process is conducted only when you are upgrading to a new release (froman earlier one, such as 10.7 or 11.0). You use the AutoUpgrade utility (adaimgr)to upgrade Oracle Applications.

■ Applying database patches to Oracle Applications

Most patches consist of files and scripts that update the file system and/ordatabase objects. You use the AutoPatch utility (adpatch) to perform theseupdates. AutoPatch may also be used to apply cumulative patches such asminipacks (for example, 11i.GL.D) and maintenance packs (for example, 11.5.9).

■ Maintaining Oracle Applications data

Some features such as Multiple Reporting Currencies require regularmaintenance to ensure updates are propagated to the additional tables andschemas used by this feature. The AD Administration utility (adadmin) allowsyou to do this as well as other file system and database maintenance tasks.


The Database Tier

The Database TierThe database tier contains the database server, which stores all the data maintainedby Oracle Applications. It also contains some processing code that is stored in thedatabase to optimize performance. In Release 11i, the database includes the OracleApplications online help information as well.

More specifically, the database tier contains the Oracle data server files and OracleApplications database executables that physically store the tables, indexes, andother database objects for your system.

In general, the database server does not communicate directly with the desktopclients, but rather with the servers on the application tier, which mediate thecommunications between the database server and the client.


Features of the Oracle Applications Technology Layer

Features of the Oracle Applications Technology LayerThe Oracle Applications technology layer lies between the Oracle Applicationstechnology stack and the Oracle Applications product-specific modules. It providesfeatures common to all Oracle Applications products. The products in the OracleApplications technology layer include:

■ Applications DBA (AD)

■ Applications Object Library (AOL/FND)

■ Applications Utilities (AU)

■ Common Modules (AK)

■ Workflow

■ Alert (ALR)

Oracle Applications DBA (AD)The Applications DBA product provides a set of tools that help in theadministration of the Oracle Applications file system and database. AD providestools for installing, upgrading, maintaining, and patching the Oracle Applicationssystem. The AD utilities include:

■ AutoUpgrade

■ AutoPatch

■ AD Merge Patch

■ AD Administration

■ License Manager

■ Rapid Install

Oracle Common Modules (AK)The Common Modules is an active data dictionary that enables you to define OracleApplications components for the Self-Service Applications and generate many ofthe Oracle Applications’ characteristics at runtime.

AK is heavily used to develop inquiry applications for the Self-Service Applicationswithout programming. AK allows storing language-translated labels for all theattributes on a transaction page, thus providing Multiple Language Support.



For example, the AK Runtime Dictionary may be used to define an attribute, orreusable component, such as the customer name attribute, which can be reusedanytime a customer name field is displayed on an HTML page.

Oracle Applications Utilities (AU)The Applications Utilities product is used to maintain the Oracle Applicationssystem.

AU hosts a collection of files copied from other products. This allows generatingonsite classes of files such as Forms and reports, or running reports invoked by theReports server from a standard, shared location. Generating Forms or reports mayrequire access to shared PL/SQL libraries, so these files are copied to AU_TOP aswell.

The Oracle Applications Java files are stored in AU_TOP, as well as in JAVA_TOPand <PROD>_TOP. A collection of all Java files in Oracle Applications is stored in afile called apps.zip. This file is maintained under AU_TOP and copied to JAVA_TOP for runtime operation.

Oracle WorkflowOracle Workflow allows for communication of data between products andaccomplishes three important business requirements:

■ Routes information

■ Defines rules

■ Delivers electronic notifications

Self-Service Web Expenses utilizes Workflow in its approval process. This processcan be tailored for each site.

By use of Workflow, electronic notifications can be delivered via e-mail to anyOracle Applications or Internet user.

Oracle Workflow is also available as a standalone product outside of OracleApplications.

Oracle Workflow Builder is an optional product that lets you graphically define therules of your process, which are expressed as automated activities using PL/SQL.

Note: AK is replaced by JRAD in Framework 5.7.



Oracle Alert (ALR)Oracle Alert allows you to electronically mail system notifications to users when anexception or event has occurred. Some products are delivered with predefinedalerts, which allow you to notify users about specified database exceptions as theyoccur and perform routine tasks automatically according to a schedule you define.

For example, you can configure Oracle Alert to send an e-mail to key databaseadministrators when a tablespace in the Oracle Applications database does not haveadequate free space.

Oracle Application Object Library (AOL/FND)The Application Object Library is a large component of the Applications technologylayer. The Application Object Library is a collection of reusable code, programs,and database objects that provides common functionality across all products.

Using the Application Object Library ensures that the processing of flexfields or theprocedure for report submission, for instance, does not vary from one product toanother.

The Application Object Library also provides capabilities for developers to extendthe operation of Oracle Applications by creating custom programs that interact withthe base modules.

AOL provides many features to make system administration of Oracle Applicationseasier, such as security setup and maintenance, and management of concurrentprocessing.

AOL End User Features

Standard User Interface The Application Object Library supports the integration ofOracle Applications by providing standardized functionality and capabilities acrossall products so that the look and feel does not vary from product to product.

Shared Flexfield value sets Flexfields allow the entry of certain important informationto be standardized across all products. One example is the Accounting Flexfield,which is used by Financials products and Manufacturing products.

Standard Report Submission (SRS) The procedure to submit a background report to theconcurrent manager using SRS is the same regardless of the product that owns thereport. SRS takes advantage of shared flexfield value sets.



Applications Online Help The presentation of Applications Online Help is alsostandardized across all products and is accessed through a browser.

AOL Developer FeaturesApplication Object Library provides many features for developers creating customforms, reports, or programs that interface with Oracle Applications.

GUI and coding standards The same coding and Graphical User Interface (GUI)standards used by Oracle Applications developers are available to customdevelopers.

Standard Report Submission Custom reports can be integrated into Standard ReportSubmission so that they can be submitted and monitored using the sameprocedures as other Oracle Applications reports. Developers can set up certainmenus and responsibilities to access custom reports or standard objects.

Flexfield Development Flexfields used on custom forms can take advantage of existingflexfield capabilities such as value sets, validation, and security rules.

Custom menus and responsibilities Custom menus and responsibilities can beseamlessly integrated with Oracle Applications.

AOL Features for System AdministratorsThe Application Object Library provides many features to make administration ofOracle Applications easier. The Applications system administrator can:

Set up new users Register new Oracle Applications users and give them access toonly those Forms, functions, and reports they need to do their jobs.

Manage and control security Decide which users have access to each product, andwithin a product, which Forms, functions, and reports a user can access.

Audit user activity Monitor what users are doing and when they do it. Choose who toaudit and what type of data to audit.

Set user and system profiles A profile is a set of changeable options that affects theway Oracle Applications looks and behaves. A system administrator can set profilevalues at the site, application, responsibility, and user levels.



Manage concurrent processing Concurrent processing is an Oracle Applicationsfacility that lets long-running, data-intensive tasks run simultaneously with onlineoperations, taking full advantage of multitasking and parallel processing. A systemadministrator can monitor and control concurrent processing using a few simpleinterfaces, including Forms and Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM).

Application Object Library SecurityApplication Object Library controls access to the data in Oracle Applicationsthrough user signons and responsibilities. Each user must have a user name andpassword to gain access to Oracle Applications.

A responsibility is a level of authority in Oracle Applications that lets Applicationsusers access only those functions and data appropriate to their roles in theorganization. Responsibilities allow access to a specific product, operating unit, setof books, and a restricted list of windows, functions, reports, and groups ofproducts, or data groups.

Note that the Forms available from the navigation menus vary by responsibility.For example, the Purchasing User navigation menu does not include all the formsthat are available to the Purchasing Superuser navigation menu.

When you install Oracle Applications, a standard Applications user calledSYSADMIN is created for you. Several default responsibilities are also created.Since the SYSADMIN signon is automatically assigned to the System Administratorresponsibility, you can use SYSADMIN to create new user signons and assign themto responsibilities. You can also create any custom responsibilities you need.


Release 11i Enhancem

2
Release 11i Enhancements
Release 11i provides enhancements that improve usability, increase performance,and simplify the configuration and management of Oracle Applications. TheE-Business Suite Home page, new in Release 11i, provides users with a single pointof access to all Oracle Applications products. Release 11i leverages the power of theOracle technology platform to substantially increase performance and reducenetwork traffic. The Oracle Applications Manager provides administration ofconcurrent managers and centralized monitoring of the entire Oracle Applicationsenvironment.

The E-Business Suite Home PageIn Release 11i, each user logs in to Oracle Applications through the E-Business SuiteHome on the desktop client. The E-Business Suite Home page provides unifiednavigation to access Forms-based, HTML-based Applications, or BusinessIntelligence products. Once logged into the E-Business Suite Home, you need notsign on again to access other parts of the system. Oracle Applications does notprompt again for user name and password, even when you navigate to other toolsand products. Oracle Applications also retains preferences as you navigate throughthe system. For example, if you registered in the E-Business Suite Home that Frenchis your preferred language, this preference carries over whether you accessForms-based or HTML-based products.

Note: Not all Release 11i new features are covered in the followingsections. New features are embedded throughout the product suite,country-specific functionality, and supporting technologies.Additional features and enhancements are discussed in the OracleApplications Product Update Notes.

ents 2-1

Oracle Applications Manager

Figure 2–1 The E-Business Suite Home Page

Oracle Applications ManagerThe Oracle Applications Manager (OAM) provides the tools to configure, monitor,and diagnose your Oracle Applications system, as well as the ability to manage allyour applications tier services and processes. These tools are furnished by thefollowing features: Oracle Workflow Manager, Patch Advisor, Patch ImpactAnalyzer, Patch History Database, Applications Context Editor, License Manager,and Service Fulfillment Manager.

With OAM, you can view information on general system activity including thestatuses of the database, concurrent managers and other services, concurrentrequests, and Oracle Workflow processes. System administrators can also start orstop services, submit concurrent requests, and view configuration information, suchas initialization parameters and profile options.


Features Enabled by the Oracle Applications Technology Layer

Using Oracle Workflow Manager you can control Workflow system services, such asbackground engines, the Notification Mailer, agent listeners, queue propagation,and obsolete Workflow data purge.

Use the Patch Advisor to determine which recommended patches you should applyto keep your system current. Use the Patch Impact Analyzer to report the impactthat applying these patches will have. Impact data includes: Applications covered,new files introduced by the patch, existing files changed by the patch, files in thepatch that are ignored, and files in the system unchanged by the patch, but havingdependencies on files that are changed by the patch.

Features Enabled by the Oracle Applications Technology Layer

Oracle9i Application Server and Oracle ApplicationsOracle9i Application Server (Oracle9iAS) offers the industry's fastest, mostcomplete and integrated J2EE-certified application server. Oracle9iAS hasrevolutionized the application server market by being the first to integrate all thetechnology required to develop and deploy e-business portals, transactionalapplications, and Web services into a single product.

Oracle Applications with Oracle 9iAS PortalOracle9i Application Server enables you to rapidly build and deploy personalizedportals using Oracle9iAS Portal. With its intuitive Web interface, Oracle9iAS Portalallows you to integrate Web-based resources such as applications, Web pages,business intelligence reports, and syndicated content feeds within standardizedinformation components called portlets. You can build a personalized portal todeliver all of your business information and applications with Oracle9iAS Portal.

For information on configuring Oracle Portal for integration with OracleApplications, see OracleMetaLink Note 146469.1.

Enterprise-Wide Single Sign-OnOracle E-Business Suite now supports the use of Single Sign-On functionality viaOracle Portal, Oracle Login Server, and Oracle Internet Directory. Single Sign-Onfunctionality allows users to access Oracle E-Business Suite applications and otherapplications and services from Oracle Portal through a single user ID, withouthaving to log in to each application separately.

User information in external, third-party user directories can be synchronized withOracle Internet Directory using Lightweight Directory Access Protocols (LDAP).

Release 11i Enhancements 2-3

Features Enabled by the Oracle Database Platform

With Oracle Internet Directory, customers can manage and publish user informationin a central location that various application systems, including the OracleE-Business Suite, can reference.

For more information on implementing Single Sign-On with Oracle Login Serverauthentication using Oracle Internet Directory, see the Oracle Applications SystemAdministrator’s Guide.

Features Enabled by the Oracle Database PlatformMany improvements in Release 11i are built on enhancements in the underlyingdatabase technology. Release 11i leverages the following Oracle features to improveperformance, business intelligence, and scalability.

Performance Features

Cost-Based OptimizationThe Oracle optimizer evaluates many factors to calculate the most efficient way toexecute a SQL statement. It uses either a rule-based or cost-based approach.Rule-based optimization was used in earlier releases, but the SQL used in Release11i is tuned for cost-based optimization, and Release 11i requires the optimizer touse the cost-based optimization (CBO).

Using CBO, the optimizer considers the available access paths and factors instatistical information for the tables and indexes that the SQL statement will access.CBO also considers hints, which are optimization suggestions placed in a Commentof the SQL statement. First, the optimizer creates a set of potential execution plansfor the SQL statement based on its available access paths and hints. Then theoptimizer estimates the cost of each execution plan based on statistics in the datadictionary for the data distribution and storage characteristics of the tables, indexes,and partitions. The optimizer compares the costs of the execution plans and choosesthe one with the smallest cost.

For some operations, such as batch processing, Release 11i uses CBO to achieve thebest throughput, or the minimal resource use necessary to process all rows accessedby the statement. For other operations, such as accessing forms and communicationwith the desktop client, Release 11i uses CBO to achieve the best response time, orthe minimal resource use necessary to process the first row accessed by a SQLstatement.



Other Oracle9i performance enhancements used in Release 11i, such as partitionedtables, also require CBO.

Database Resource ManagerThe Database Resource Manager gives the system administrator more control overprocessing resources on the database node. With the Database Resource Manager,the system administrator can distribute server CPU based on business rules, andthereby ensure that the highest priority business activities always have sufficientCPU resources. Administrators can also limit the impact of any inefficient adhocqueries on the overall system.

Using the Database Resource Manager, the system administrator might, forexample, limit ad hoc queries on the database to consume no more that 5% of CPUusage. The system administrator can guarantee Order Entry users 40% of CPUresources during business hours, regardless of the load or number of users in othergroups on the system.

Partitioned TablesPartitioning helps support very large tables and indexes by dividing them intosmaller and more manageable pieces, which are called partitions. Once partitionsare defined, SQL statements can access and manipulate them rather than entiretables or indexes. Partitioning reduces access time, and partitions are especiallyuseful in data warehouse applications, which often store and analyze large amountsof historical data.

For example, operations that involve copying or deleting data are now improvedbecause Release 11i products use partitioned tables. Creating and deleting all rowsof a partitioned table is a much faster operation than selectively inserting rows intoand selectively deleting rows from an existing table. Operations in some productsthat, in earlier releases, could potentially take hours are now reduced to seconds.

Invoker RightsIn earlier releases, if you had Multiple Reporting Currencies (MRC) or Multiple Setsof Books Architecture (MSOBA), several copies of Oracle Applications packagesexisted in the database. This took more database space and required extra time toupgrade and maintain.

Additional Information: The Optimizer, Oracle9i Concepts;Cost-based Optimization, Oracle Applications System Administrator’sGuide



Release 11i uses the Invoker Rights functionality of Oracle 9i to ensure that mostpackages are installed only in the APPS schema. Other schemas, such as the MRCschema, have synonyms to the packages in the APPS schema, and thecorresponding packages in the APPS schema have grants to the MRC schema.PL/SQL routines use Oracle9i Invoker Rights to access the package in the APPSschema. In an MRC database, this can very markedly decrease the size of thedatabase and shorten the time spent by upgrade, patch, and maintenance tasks.

Business Intelligence

Materialized ViewsMaterialized views are schema objects that can be used to summarize, precompute,replicate, and distribute data. They are used to precompute and store aggregateddata such as sums and averages, and they increase the speed of queries on verylarge databases. They provide better performance in Oracle Applications products,such as Daily Business Intelligence, that perform many queries on summary data.

Cost-based optimization can use materialized views to improve query performanceby automatically recognizing when one can and should be used to satisfy a request.The optimizer transparently rewrites the request to use the materialized view.Queries are then directed to the materialized view and not to the underlying detailtables or views.

In distributed environments, materialized views are used to replicate data atdistributed sites and synchronize updates done at several sites with conflictresolution methods. As replicas, they provide local access to data which otherwisewould have to be accessed from remote sites.

Scalability

Real Application ClustersReal Application Clusters (RAC) harnesses the processing power of multipleinterconnected computers. RAC software and a collection of hardware known as acluster unite the processing power of each component to create a robust computingenvironment.

In RAC environments, all active instances can concurrently execute transactionsagainst a shared database. RAC coordinates each instance’s access to the shareddata to provide data consistency and data integrity.

Additional Information: PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference



Harnessing the power of clusters offers obvious advantages. A large task dividedinto subtasks and distributed among multiple nodes is completed sooner and moreefficiently than if you processed the entire task on one node. Cluster processingalso provides increased performance for larger workloads and for accommodatingrapidly growing user populations.

With RAC, you can scale applications to meet increasing data processing demandswithout changing the application code. As you add resources such as nodes orstorage, RAC extends the processing powers of these resources beyond the limits ofthe individual components.


Internationalization Su

3
Internationalization Support
In Release 11i, the Oracle E-Business Suite enables you to create a single globalinstance that meets the complex requirements of a worldwide enterprise. Key tomeeting those requirements is the level of internationalization support andflexibility that release 11i provides. Internationalization includes support for manylanguages and territories, flexible date and number formats that conform to localcustom, and other country-specific functionality such as multiple reportingcurrencies and compliance with local statutory requirements.

Language SupportIn Release 10.7 you could install Oracle Applications in only one language perinstance. If you needed to run Oracle Applications in more than one language in thesame instance, Oracle Consulting offered a customized solution. With Release 11you could install and run Oracle Applications in more than one language, but theset of languages you could install was limited to those supported by the databasecharacter set.

Textual parts of Oracle Applications such as forms, reports, messages, help text,menu prompts, and lists of report names were available in all installed languages,but most data at the product level was still available only in the base, or primarylanguage. This meant, for example, you could enter payment terms only in the baselanguage, even though forms would be displayed in a non-base language. Foradditional multilingual support, Oracle Consulting continued to provide acustomized solution.

The majority of Oracle Applications products have been restructured in Release 11ito provide multilingual support at the product data level. In Release 11i, support forthe Unicode UTF8 character set removes the limitation on the number of supportedlanguages that can be run in a single instance. The Unicode character set supportsall characters in common use in all of the world’s modern languages. The additional

pport 3-1

Language Support

multilingual support available from Oracle Consulting is incorporated in Release11i.

Languages and Character Sets on the Database TierThe Oracle database tier is installed in the US7ASCII character set by default, butcan be converted to run in any other supported character set. You choose thedatabase character set when running Rapid Install, and Rapid Install converts thedatabase to the new character set.

The US7ASCII character set only supports American English. All other charactersets vary in the number of languages they support. For example, if you need to runOracle Applications in English and French, you might choose WE8ISO8859P15 asthe database character set when running Rapid Install. WE8ISO8859P15 is asuperset of US7ASCII, supports both English and French, and contains the eurosymbol. If you need to support English, French, Japanese, and Arabic, you mustchoose the UTF8 character set, because this is the only one that supports these fourlanguages.

You cannot change the character set during an upgrade from an earlier release toRelease 11i. You must first upgrade to Release 11i using the existing character setand, after the upgrade, change the character set.

Additional Information: Set Up National Language Support (NLS)in Finishing Your Installation, Installing Oracle Applications

Additional Information: The Oracle9i Globalization Support Guideprovides information on supported character sets, languagessupported by each character set, and tips on choosing a databasecharacter set.

Warning : Before installing Oracle Applications, you shouldcarefully consider the future language requirements of yourinstallation. The character set you choose during installationdetermines the languages that you can support. Review theOracle 9i Globalization Support Guide for information on allpossible character sets before choosing the character set for yourinstallation. Changing character sets after installation is aninvolved and expensive process, and is best avoided by initiallychoosing a character set that will meet your long-term needs.


Language Support

The extended multilingual support in the Release 11i data model may increasedatabase storage requirements. For a new installation, consider the database spacerequired for a single language and multiply this by the number of languages youwill support. For an upgrade of an earlier NLS installation, some of the datacurrently in a single language structure will be converted to a multilingualstructure, which will require additional storage.

Using a multibyte character set such as the Unicode UTF8 or Japanese JA16EUC (asopposed to a single-byte character set such as WE8ISO8859P15) also affects theoverall space used for language setup and transaction data because each characterused may require more than one byte of storage space.

Language and Character Sets on the Application TierThe application tier is installed in the US7ASCII character set by default, but can beconverted to run in any supported character set. Rapid Install recommends theapplication tier character set based on the the languages chosen. To prevent dataloss, character sets on all tiers must either be the same, or be character sets that canbe converted from one to another. Some character sets allow a conversion with nodata loss because the character representation in one corresponds to an appropriatecharacter representation in the other. For example, JA16SJIS and JA16EUC are bothJapanese language character sets and allow for conversion with no data loss. If atarget character set does not contain all characters in the source data, replacementcharacters will be used and data is thereby lost.

The HTTP servers on the application tier must use a character set supported by thebrowsers on the desktop tier. Not all character sets available for the HTTP server aresupported by the browsers. This is the only compatibility requirement between thedesktop tier and application tier. All other application tier servers, such as the

Additional Information: Overview of an Upgrade, UpgradingOracle Applications

Attention: As UTF8 is a superset of all other supported charactersets, there are no other fully compatible character sets. If you useUTF8 on any tier, you must use UTF8 on all tiers.

Internationalization Support 3-3

Language Support

Concurrent Processing server, can be configured with any other character set that iscompatible with the database server.

By default, Rapid Install installs American English on all servers in the applicationtier. When you later install a National Language Support (NLS) release, you mustinstall it on all servers. You cannot, for example, install French only on the formsserver with the assumption that you will not run the reports or concurrentprocessing server in French. All application tier servers must have the same set oflanguages installed.

Character Sets on the Desktop TierLanguage support, which includes support for data input methods and requiredcharacter sets and fonts, must be available in the desktop client’s operating system.If Unicode UTF8 is installed on the applications tier, the desktop client operatingsystem must support Unicode.

The desktop browser must be configured to input data in the required language andmust handle any language-specific capabilities. For instance, Hebrew and Arabicrequire bidirectional support for right-to-left display, and Arabic also requires abrowser capable of special character shaping.

The character set in the browser is set by the HTTP server. Users must not changethe character set in the browser during an Oracle Applications session.

External DocumentsExternal documents are those documents intended for customers and tradingpartners, such as bills of lading, commercial invoices, and packing slips. In Release11i, you can produce many external documents in any of the active languages,simultaneously and with a single request. A customer in Italy, for example, canreceive invoices printed in Italian, and a customer in Poland can receive theirinvoices printed in Polish. You can also print the documents to different printersbased on language, and route completion notifications to different people accordingto the requested language. For instance, you can route all French external

Attention: As noted earlier concerning the database tier characterset, the character set on the application tier should also meet yourworldwide language requirements in the future. Changingcharacter sets for the application tier after installation is a difficultprocess.


Language Support

documents to printer A and all others to printer B. You can send completionnotifications for Spanish documents to one user, and perhaps all notifications,including Spanish, to another. See "Multilingual External Documents" in the SystemAdministrator’s Guide for a list of external documents provided in Release 11i.

Globalization and LocalizationGlobalization is the process of designing software that meets all of the needs of aglobal enterprise in a single instance. One way that globalization is achieved isthrough national and regional extensions called “localizations.” Each localizationmeets the statutory, legal, and/or cultural practices of a given locale. Because alllocalizations are compatible with each other, the installation of all localizationstogether results in a fully globalized implementation.

All localizations are installed when you run the Rapid Install. You simply need tolicense those you would like to use. The functionality of each localization isdescribed in a special User’s Guide for each country.

Dates and NumbersYou can enter and view dates in any valid format, such as 11/25/01 or 11-25-2001.Any format for which SQL provides a mask is valid. The only exception to flexibledate formats is that Oracle Reports will always display DD-MON-RRRR.

You can also enter and view numbers with either the period (full stop) character orcomma as the decimal separator. For example, you can enter 1.02 and 100,000.02 or1,02 and 100.000,02.

Regardless of the various formats that may be used to enter dates and numbers, theactual values are stored in the database in uniform canonical formats. This allowsdate and number values to be entered in one format and viewed in an alternateformat by another user.

Additional Information: Date and Time Parameters, NumericParameters, Oracle9i Globalization Support Guide


NLS-Independent Application Servers

Multiple Reporting CurrenciesThe Multiple Reporting Currencies (MRC) feature allows you to report andmaintain accounting records at the transaction level in more than one functionalcurrency. You do this by defining one or more reporting sets of books, in addition toyour primary set of books.

In your reporting sets of books, you maintain records in a functional currency otherthan your primary functional currency. Primary functional currency is the currencyyou use to record transactions and maintain your accounting data within OracleApplications. The primary functional currency is generally the currency in whichyou perform most of your business transactions and the one you use for legalreporting. A reporting functional currency is a currency, other than your primaryfunctional currency, that you need for reports.

MRC is based on Multiple Organization Architecture (see Multiple Organizations inOracle Applications), and requires a primary set of books and a reporting set ofbooks. In the primary set of books, the functional currency is always the primaryfunctional currency. The reporting set of books is a financial reporting entityassociated with a primary set of books. The reporting set of books has the samechart of accounts and accounting calendar as the primary set of books, but usuallyhas a different functional currency. The reporting set of books allows you to reportin a different functional currency than that of your primary set of books.

You must define a separate set of books for each of your reporting functionalcurrencies. For each set of books you use with MRC, you need to specify which isthe primary set of books and which are the reporting sets of books. You then assignthe reporting sets of books to the primary set of books. You must also define aprimary responsibility to correspond to your primary set of books, and a reportingresponsibility to correspond to each reporting set of books.

NLS-Independent Application ServersIn Release 11, an application tier server was required for each language andterritory configuration a user might have. For example, to process French andGerman forms requests, you needed to start one forms server for French and one forGerman. Even if two users both ran French, but one set the territory to France andthe other to Switzerland, you would need to install two forms servers and tworeports servers to support these two users. In Release 11i, you no longer need to set

Additional Information: Multiple Reporting Currencies in OracleApplications

Multiple Organizations in Oracle Applications


NLS Settings

up a server for each permutation of NLS preferences. All application tier serverprocesses can start with any NLS configuration.

Application tier processes must be started with the same character set that waschosen for the server in Rapid Install. All other user NLS settings (such as language,territory, date format, and number format) are passed with each user request to theapplication tier servers, where a session is started with those NLS settings.

NLS SettingsEarlier releases relied on operating system environment settings for runtime NLSrequirements. In Release 11i, user runtime NLS settings are stored as profile optionvalues in the database.

The profile options for language and territory are configured at site level whenrunning Rapid Install. The language you choose for the base language is used forthe language profile option. The default user territory you choose is used for theterritory profile option. Rapid Install does not set date and numeric formats. Basedon the territory profile setting, default Oracle database date and numeric formatsare used. Although the system administrator can reset date and numeric formatsafter Rapid Install, we recommend that you accept the defaults provided by theterritory setting.

The site level profile values provide the default NLS settings for all end users. Usersinherit these values the first time they log on to Oracle Applications using theE-Business Suite Homepage. A user can continue to use the default values orchange any of the NLS settings to alternate values. The updated values are stored inthe database at the profile user level. The user’s current session is reset to use theupdated user level profile values and all future sessions will be started with thenew values.


NLS Settings


File S

4
File System
Oracle Applications product files, technology stack files, environment files, andcommon files are held in the file system on the application tier. In Release 11i, onlythe downloaded JAR files are stored on the desktop client and the database serverholds only database files. Environment settings indicate the location of files in thefile system.

This chapter discusses the environment settings and file systems in detail, includingthe following topics:

■ Top-Level Directories

■ Product Directories

■ Environment Settings

ystem 4-1

Top-Level Directories

Top-Level DirectoriesThe Oracle Applications 11i system uses components from many Oracle products.It stores these product files within several top-level directories as follows :

Figure 4–1 Top-Level Directories

■ The <dbname>DATA or DATA_TOP directory is located on the database serverand it contains the system tablespaces, redo log files, data tablespaces, indextablespaces, and database files.

■ The <dbname>DB directory is located on the database server and it contains theOracle Home for the Oracle9i RDBMS.

■ The <dbname>APPL or APPL_TOP directory contains the product directoriesand files for Oracle Applications.

■ The <dbname>ORA directory contains the Oracle Homes for the Applicationstechnology stack components.

■ The <dbname>COMN or COMN_TOP (or COMMON_TOP) directory containsdirectories and files used across products.

Note: <dbname> is the name of your system determined throughRapid Install at the time of installation. For example, PROD.


<dbname>DB and <dbname>ORA Directories

The <dbname>DATA DirectoryThe <dbname>DATA file system contains the .dbf files of the Oracle9i database.Rapid Install installs all the system, data, and index files in up to four differentmount points on the database server. You can specify the directory names of themount points on the database server during installation.

<dbname>DB and <dbname>ORA DirectoriesOracle Applications supports running a database of one version, while linkingOracle Applications programs using the tools from a second or third version of thedatabase server. This is known as multiple Oracle Homes. This model allows Oracle tosupport features in later database server versions and still maintain compatibilitywith an earlier release. Release 11i has three Oracle Homes.

The 9.2.0 ORACLE_HOME (or database home) is located in the <dbname>DBdirectory. It contains the files for running and maintaining the Oracle9i database onthe database server.

To take advantage of the latest features of the applications technology stackcomponents, there are two ORACLE_HOME directories under the <dbname>ORAdirectory. The 8.0.6 directory contains the ORACLE_HOME for the Developer 6iproducts (Forms, Reports, and Graphics). The iAS directory contains theORACLE_HOME for the Oracle HTTP Server.

File System 4-3

The <dbname>COMN Directory

The <dbname>COMN DirectoryThe <dbname>COMN or COMMON_TOP directory contains files that are used bymany different Oracle Applications products, and that may be used withthird-party products.

The admin directory in the COMMON_TOP directory contains the log and outputdirectories for concurrent managers. When the concurrent managers run OracleApplications reports, they write the output files, as well as diagnostic log files andtemporary files, to the log and out directories in this admin directory.

You can change the location the concurrent managers write these files to, so that, forexample, the log and output files are written to directories in each <prod>_TOPdirectory. The default, however, is to write the files to the log and out directories inthe COMMON_TOP/admin/log and COMMON_TOP/admin/out directories.

Additional Information: Overview of Concurrent Processing,Oracle Applications System Administrator’s Guide


The <dbname>COMN Directory

The admin/install directory contains scripts and log files used by Rapid Installduring installation. The admin/scripts directory contains scripts to start and stopservices such as listeners and concurrent managers.

The html directory The OA_HTML environment setting points to the html directory.The Oracle Applications html sign-on screen and Oracle Self-Service Applicationshtml files are installed here. The html directory also contains other files used by thehtml-based products, such as Java Server Page (JSP) files, java scripts, xml files, andstyle sheets. Rapid Install and the AD utilities copy the html-based product filesfrom each <prod>_TOP directory to subdirectories in the html directory.

The java directory The JAVA_TOP environment setting points to the java directory.Rapid Install installs all Oracle Applications JAR files in the Oracle namespace ofthis JAVA_TOP directory. The java directory also holds third-party java files used byOracle Applications as well as other zip files.

Most Java code used by Oracle Applications is version-controlled in the apps.zipfile contained in the AU_TOP directory. Patches, for example, update individualclasses in apps.zip under the AU_TOP directory, and from this apps.zip file JARfiles are generated both in the JAVA_TOP and the <prod>_TOP directories. The sameapps.zip file exists in both the AU_TOP and JAVA_TOP directories.

The portal directory The portal directory contains the Rapid Install Portal files. TheRapid Install Portal is a web page that includes the post-install tasks that may benecessary for your installation, Server Administration scripts, installationdocumentation, and online help. Using a browser, you can view the Rapid InstallPortal after you run Rapid Install.

The temp directory The temp directory is used for caching by some processes such asOracle Reports.

The util directory The util directory contains the third-party utilities licensed to shipwith Oracle Applications. These include, for example, JRE, JDK, and the unziputility.

Additional Information: Accessing the Rapid Install Portal,Installing Oracle Applications

File System 4-5

The <dbname>APPL Directory

The <dbname>APPL DirectoryOracle Applications files are stored in the <dbname>APPL directory, known as theAPPL_TOP directory.

The APPL_TOP directory contains:

■ The main applications environment file, called the <dbname>.env file

■ The consolidated environment file, APPS<SID>.env (where SID is the name ofthe database)

■ The core technology directories

■ The product directories for all products

Rapid Install creates a directory tree for every Oracle Applications product in thisAPPL_TOP directory, licensed or not.

Attention: For Release 11i, all Oracle Applications products areinstalled in the database and the file system, regardless ofregistration. Do not attempt to manually remove files forunregistered products.



Rapid Install installs a new Applications top directory when you upgrade. RapidInstall does not delete any existing product files from earlier releases, but unloadsnew product files in a new <dbname>APPL directory tree.

Each Applications top directory is associated with a single Oracle Applicationsdatabase on the Oracle9i server. If you install both a Vision Demo system and a testsystem, you must use Rapid Install to lay down two file systems: one for eachsystem.

Product DirectoriesEach product has its own subdirectory under APPL_TOP named for its standardabbreviation, such as gl for Oracle General Ledger. Within each product directory,is a subdirectory named for the base release version number, such as 11.5.0. Withinthis directory are the various subdirectories for the product files.

The <PROD>_TOPThe <APPL_TOP>/<prod>/<version> path is known as the product top(<PROD>_TOP) and it is stored in the <prod>_TOP environment setting. Forexample, if APPL_TOP=/d01/oracle/prodapps, then the value contained in theAD_TOP environment setting is /d01/oracle/prodapps/ad/11.5.0 and theAD_TOP environment setting points to the <APPL_TOP>/ad/11.5.0 directory.Similarly, the value of AU_TOP is /d01/oracle/prodapps/au/11.5.0, and theAU_TOP environment setting points to the <APPL_TOP>/au/11.5.0 directory. Thisis the same for all directories except for the admin directory.

Product FilesEach <prod>_TOP directory, such as APPL_TOP/gl/11.5.0, contains subdirectoriesfor product files. Product files include forms files, reports files, and other files usedto upgrade the database. To display data entry forms for Oracle General Ledger, forexample, Oracle Applications accesses files in the forms subdirectory under the11.5.0 directory.

File System 4-7


Within each <prod>_TOP directory, the product’s files are grouped intosubdirectories according to file type and function. The next figure expands the insetto show the full directory structure for gl (also listed in the following table).

The following table summarizes the product subdirectories and the types of fileseach one may contain. Not all products contain all the subdirectories listed in this



table.

Table 4–1 Applications Directory and File Types

Subdirectory Name Description

admin PROD_TOP/admin contains files used by AutoUpgrade toupgrade each product. Note that this directory is not theAPPL_TOP/admin directory. The APPL_TOP/admin directorycontains upgrade-related files for all products. ThisPROD_TOP/admin directory contains product-specific upgradefiles.

■ driver Contains .drv files (driver files). AutoUpgrade processes inseveral phases, and each phase is controlled by a driver file.

■ import Contains DataMerge files used to upgrade seed data.

■ odf Contains object description files (.odf files) used to create tablesand other database objects.

■ sql Contains SQL*Plus scripts used to upgrade data, and .pkh, .pkb,and .pls scripts to create PL/SQL stored procedures.

bin Contains concurrent programs, other C language programs andshell scripts for each product.

forms Contains Oracle Forms generated runtime (.fmx) files (OracleForms form files).

help Contains the online help source files. Within this directory aresubdirectories for each language you choose to install.

html HTML, Javascript, and Java Serve Page files, primarily forSelf-Service Applications products.

include Contains C language header (.h) files that my be linked withfiles in the lib directory. Not all products require this directory.

java Contains JAR files (Java Archive files) and Java dependencyfiles. Copies of JAR files are also located in JAVA_TOP.

lib Contains files used to relink concurrent programs with theOracle server libraries. These files include:

■ object files (.o) with compiled code specific to one of theproduct’s programs;

■ a library file (.a) with compiled code common to theproduct’s programs;

■ a makefile (.mk) that specifies how to link executables.

File System 4-9


log and out Contains output files for concurrent programs:

■ .mgr (master log file for concurrent manager)

■ .req (log file for a concurrent process)

Note: Log and out subdirectories under a product directory arenot used if you set up a common directory for log and outputfiles (except in FND_TOP).

media The desktop client displays text and graphics from the .gif filesin this directory.

mesg Forms display messages at the bottom of the screen and inpopup boxes. Concurrent programs also print messages in thelog and output files. These messages are translated and stored inmessage files separate from the forms and concurrent programs.This directory contains the .msb files (binary message files usedat runtime), and language-specific message files (such as aUS.msb file for American English and a D.msb file for German.)

patch Updates to the data or data model use this directory to store thepatch files.

plsql Location where .pll files (PL/SQL library files for OracleReports) are unloaded, later in the installation they are moved tothe plsql subdirectory in the AU_TOP directory.

reports Contains Oracle Reports .rdf files for each product, which areplatform-specific binary report files. Reports for each languageare stored in subdirectories of the reports directory.

resource Contains .pll files (PL/SQL library files for Oracle Forms),which, like the plsql directory files, are later copied to AU_TOP.

sql Contains .sql files (SQL*Plus scripts) for concurrent processing.

Table 4–1 Applications Directory and File Types

Subdirectory Name Description



Language FilesWhen you install Oracle Applications in a language other than American English,each product tree includes directories that use the NLS language code. Thesedirectories hold translated data, forms, message, and reports files. For example, thelanguage directory named D designates German. The data loader files in the Dsubdirectory of admin contain the German translation of the product seed data. TheD subdirectory of reports holds Oracle Reports files translated into German.

The US subdirectory in the forms directory holds Oracle Forms forms in AmericanEnglish. The D directory in the forms directory holds the same forms translated intoGerman. The mesg directory holds message files in both American English andGerman.

Core Technology DirectoriesThe admin, ad, au, and fnd directories are the core technology directories.

The admin directory contains files and scripts used by the AD utilities during theupgrade and maintenance processes. These include:

■ The adovars.env environment file that defines certain file and directorylocations

■ Text files read by AutoUpgrade

■ Scripts run during the upgrade

■ A preupg directory containing product-specific preupgrade scripts

■ Log and out directories for upgrade log and output files

■ A restart directory where AD programs create restart files

The ad directory (Applications DBA) contains the installation and maintenanceutilities such as AutoUpgrade (adaimgr), AutoPatch (adpatch), and ADAdministration (adadmin).

The au directory (Applications Utilities) directory contains product files that areconsolidated in a single location for optimal processing. These files include:

■ PL/SQL libraries used by Oracle Reports, in the plsql subdirectory

■ PL/SQL libraries used by Oracle Forms, in the resource subdirectory

Additional Information: Oracle9i Globalization Support Guide

File System 4-11


■ Oracle Forms source files, in the forms subdirectory

■ A copy of all Java files used by JInitiator when regenerating the desktop clientJAR files, in the java subdirectory

■ Certain reports needed by Discoverer or BIS, in the reports subdirectory

The fnd directory (Application Object Library) contains the scripts and programs thatare used as the foundation for all Applications products to build data dictionaries,forms and C object libraries.

Distributing the APPL_TOP Across DisksThe Oracle Applications file system on the application tier requires a significantamount of disk space. If you choose multiple mount points in Rapid Install, you candistribute the APPL_TOP files across as many as four disk drives. You can alsoinstall the OA_HTML, JAVA_TOP, and COMMON_TOP on different mount pointsthan the APPL_TOP.

For example, you could install Oracle General Ledger product files in oneAPPL_TOP, with Oracle Purchasing (po) and Oracle Payables (ap) files stored in asecond APPL_TOP directory on a different file system. The system knows thelocation of each product top because Rapid Install defines the full path to thedirectory in the <PROD>_TOP parameter in the <dbname>.env file.

Note, however, that when distributing the files across disks, all four core technologydirectories (admin, ad, au, and fnd) must always be on the same disk and mustshare the same APPL_TOP.


Environment Settings

Environment SettingsOracle Applications uses environment settings to control program execution. Theenvironment settings are defined when you install Oracle Applications. Manysettings are defined by information you provide when running Rapid Install,though other settings have constant values for all installations.

Rapid Install creates four different environment setup files that set up the Oracle9idatabase, the Oracle 8-based technology stack, the Oracle HTTP server, and theOracle Applications environments. The environment setup files are called<dbname>.env in UNIX or <dbname>.cmd in Windows, where <dbname> is the nameof your database. The location of these files is shown in the following table:

For convenience, Oracle Applications provides a consolidated environment fileAPPS<SID>.env in UNIX or APPS<SID>.cmd in Windows that sets up both theOracle Applications and Oracle 8-based technology stack environments.

The main Oracle Applications environment file is a script that sets the environmentfor running Oracle Applications. When you install Oracle Applications, RapidInstall creates this script in your APPL_TOP directory. Some of the variables can bechanged during the install process.

Key parameters in the Oracle Applications main environment file are described inthe following table:

Filename Location Environment

<dbname>.env or

<dbname>.cmd

9.2.0 ORACLE_HOME Oracle9i Enterprise Edition

<dbname>.env or

<dbname>.cmd

iAS ORACLE_HOME HTTP Server

<dbname>.env or

<dbname>.cmd

8.0.6 ORACLE_HOME Oracle 8-based technologystack

<dbname>.env or

<dbname>.cmd

APPL_TOP Applications

APPS<SID>.env or

APPS<SID>.cmd

APPL_TOP Consolidated setup file

File System 4-13


Parameter Description

APPLFENV The name of this environment file, <dbname>.env. If yourename the environment file, change this parameter.

PLATFORM The execution platform. The value should match the value inthe APPL_TOP/admin/adpltfrm.txt.

APPL_TOP The top-level directory for this Oracle Applications installation.

FNDNAM The name of the ORACLE schema to which the SystemAdministration responsibility connects. The default is APPS.

GWYUID The public ORACLE username and password that grants accessto the Oracle Applications initial signon form. The default isAPPLSYSPUB/PUB.

FND_TOP The path to the Application Object Library directory.

AU_TOP The path to the Applications Utilities directory.

<PROD>_TOP The path to a product’s top directory. There is one entry for eachOracle Applications product.

PATH Sets the directory search path, primarily FND_TOP andAD_TOP.

APPLDCP Specifies whether distributed concurrent processing is beingused. Distributed concurrent processing distributes processingload across multiple concurrent processors.

APPCPNAM Indicates whether the format of the concurrent manager log andoutput files follow 8.3 file name conventions (maximum of 8characters to the left of the dot and 3 to the right, for example,alogfile.log). If this parameter is set to "REQID", the concurrentmanager uses file names that meet 8.3 naming requirements.

APPLCSF Identifies the top-level directory for concurrent manager log andoutput files if they are consolidated into a single directory acrossall products. For example, if the path is <COMN_TOP>/admin,all log and output files are placed in a subdirectory under thisdefined directory.

APPLLOG The subdirectory for concurrent manager log files. The defaultis "log".

APPLOUT The subdirectory for concurrent manager output files. Thedefault is "out".

APPLTMP Identifies the directory for Oracle Applications temporary files.The default is “usr/tmp” for UNIX and "C:\temp" for NT.



Most temporary files are written to the location specified by the APPLTMPenvironment setting, which is set by Rapid Install. If you choose, Oracle Reportstemporary files can be directed to a separate location determined by theREPORTS60_TMP setting.

Applications also produces temporary PL/SQL output files used in concurrentprocessing. These files are written to a location on the database server nodespecified by the APPLPTMP environment setting. The APPLPTMP directory mustbe the same directory as specified by the utl_file_dir parameter in your databaseinitialization file.

Rapid Install sets both APPLPTMP and the utl_file_dir parameter to the samedefault directory. As the temporary files placed in this directory may containcontext sensitive information, it should be a secure directory on the database servernode with read and write access for the database server owner. In a multi-nodesystem, the directory defined by APPLPTMP does not need to exist on the

APPLPTMP Identifies the directory for temporary PL/SQL output files. Thepossible directory options must be listed in the init.oraparameter "utl_file_dir".

NLS_LANG The language, territory, and character set installed in thedatabase. The default for a fresh install is"AMERICAN_AMERICA.US7ASCII".

NLS_DATE_FORMAT The National Language Support date format. The default is"DD-MON-RR".

NLS_NUMERIC_CHARACTERS

The National Language Support numeric separators. Thedefault is ".,".

FORMS60_MAPPING Specifies the Oracle Applications forms Web server host nameand the port on which it is running. For example:http://ap9000sun.oracle.com:8000/OA_TEMP

REPORTS60_TMP The directory for temporary files used by Oracle Reports.

GRAPHICS60_PATH Specifies the path to the Oracle Graphics files.


File System 4-15


application tier servers. During an upgrade with AutoUpgrade, you must providethe utl_file_dir parameter value for the APPLPTMP environment setting.

Other Environment Files

The adovars.env File specifies the location of various files such as Java files, HTMLfiles, and JRE (Java Runtime Environment) files. It is called from the mainapplications environment file (<dbname>.env). The adovars.env file isself-documented and provides comments on what each variable does and how itshould be configured. You can manually edit most of the variables in this file. Anyadditional custom variables should be stored here and not in the main environmentfile, so that you do not have to reapply the custom variables if you have to recreateyour main environment file.

The adovars.env file contains:

The adconfig.txt File AD utility programs perform a variety of database and filemanagement tasks. These utilities need to know certain configuration informationto run successfully. This configuration information is specified when OracleApplications is installed and subsequently stored in the adconfig.txt file, which is

Attention: Some Oracle Applications utilities use your operatingsystem’s default temporary directory even if you define theenvironment settings listed in the previous paragraph. Be sure tohave available disk space for these default directories as well asthose denoted by APPLTMP, REPORTS60_TMP, and APPLPTMP.


JAVA_TOP Indicates the top-level directory where all Java files are copied.

OA_JRE_TOP Indicates the location where JRE is installed.

OAH_TOP Defines the location to which HTML files are copied.

OAD_TOP Defines the locations to which context-sensitive documentationfiles are copied.

LD_LIBRARY_PATH Used on some platforms to list the directories scanned fordynamic library files needed at runtime.

CLASSPATH Lists the directories and zip files scanned for Java class filesneeded at runtime.



located in the APPL_TOP/admin directory. Once created, this file is used by otherOracle Applications utilities.

The fndenv.env File sets additional environment variables used by the ApplicationObject Library. For example, it sets APPLBIN as the name of the subdirectorywhere product executable programs and shell scripts are stored ("bin").

This file should not be modified. The default values should be applicable for allcustomers. The file is located in the FND_TOP directory.

The devenv.env File sets variables that let you link third-party software and your owncustom-developed applications with Oracle Applications. This script is located inFND_TOP and is automatically called by fndenv.env so that you can compile andlink custom Oracle Forms and Reports user exits and concurrent programs withOracle Applications.

Note: This file is not the same as the configuration file created byRapid Install (config.txt). The adconfig.txt file is created during thecreation of the APPL_TOP file system.

File System 4-17

Data M

5
Data Model
This chapter describes the Oracle Applications data model. It includes a discussionof the following topics:

■ Basic Data Model

■ Multiple Organization (Multi-Org) Architecture

■ Multiple Reporting Currencies

■ Oracle9i Server Organization and Requirements

Basic Data ModelA database can contain only one installation of Oracle E-Business Suite products.Generally, product data objects are stored in product Oracle schemas and productcode objects are stored in the APPS schema.

Oracle User IDsEach Oracle E-Business Suite product has a default Oracle user ID with the productabbreviation as both the schema name and password. For example, the defaultOracle user ID for Oracle General Ledger is GL/GL.

A product’s schema determines the ownership of the product’s data objects, such assequences, tables, and indexes. If two products are installed under the sameschema, that schema owns the data objects for both products.

Attention: We recommend you do not change the default userIDs, but you should change the password.

odel 5-1

Basic Data Model

Since a product’s data objects are created in their own schema (such as the GLschema) but the user accesses all data objects through the APPS schema, there arenecessary grants and synonyms between the APPS schema and the base productschemas.

APPS SchemaThe APPS schema has access to the complete Oracle E-Business Suite data model. Itis analogous to the SYSTEM schema, which has access to the entire database. OracleApplications responsibilities connect to an APPS schema and the environmentvariable FNDNAM is set to the name of the APPS schema.

APPS and Base Product SchemasThere is one schema for each product—a base product schema—that owns the dataobjects for that product. There is one schema—APPS—that owns all the codeobjects for the E-Business Suite and has access to all data objects. There is one APPSschema for every product installation group. The following code objects areinstalled in the APPS schema:

■ Views

■ Packages

■ Procedures

■ Functions

■ Triggers

The following objects are installed in the base product schemas:

■ Tables

■ Sequences

■ Indexes

■ Constraints

In addition, there are grants from the tables and sequences to the APPS schema, aswell as synonyms from the APPS schema to those objects.


Basic Data Model

Figure 5–1 APPS Schema and Base Product Schemas

APPS Schema BenefitsThe APPS schema reduces the time needed for and improves the reliability ofinstallation, upgrade, and patching by eliminating the need for cross-product grantsand synonyms. Utilizing one schema that has access to all objects eliminatescross-product dependencies and creates a hub-and-spokes model rather than aspider web.

Custom Schema AccessIn some circumstances you may wish to create a schema that has limited orread-only access to Oracle Applications data. For example, you might do this soyour users can query Oracle Applications using a data query tool like SQL*Plus.

Grant access on objects to the user schema from the base product schema.

Warning: Since the APPS schema has all privileges to all OracleApplications objects, you should not give users direct access tothis schema.

Data Model 5-3

Multiple Organization (Multi-Org) Architecture

Data AccessSome views access packages or functions, but the value returned by the package orfunction may depend on the environment. The environment is initializedautomatically when accessing Oracle Applications through the Sign-On screen orwhen using concurrent processing with Oracle Reports or SQL scripts.

If you connect directly to a schema, the rows returned by the view may be differentfrom those returned if you are running in an Oracle Applications environment. Forexample, some views reference profile options. When accessed from SQL*Plusdirectly, the site value of the profile option is used, not the setting for a particularapplications user.

Multiple Organization (Multi-Org) ArchitectureMultiple Organization architecture determines how transactions flow throughdifferent organizations in Oracle Applications and how those organizations interactwith each other.

OverviewThe Multiple Organization architecture uses a single installation of OracleApplications to support any number of organizations, even if those organizationsuse different sets of books.

You define multiple organizations and their relationships. These organizations canbe sets of books, business groups, legal entities, operating units, or inventoryorganizations.

When you run any Oracle Applications product, you first choose anorganization—either implicitly by choosing a responsibility, or explicitly in aChoose Organization window. Each window and report displays information onlyfor your organization.

It is important that you understand these terms as you work with Multi-Orgarchitecture:

Note: You may need to regrant access if the underlying object isdropped and recreated.


Multiple Organization (Multi-Org) Architecture

Multi-Org Partitioned ObjectsTables that contain Multi-Org data have the suffix "_ALL" in the table name. Thesetables include a column called ORG_ID that partitions Multi-Org data byorganization.

Every Multi-Org table has a corresponding view that partitions the table’s data byoperating unit. Multi-Org views partition data by including a DECODE on theinternal variable CLIENT_INFO. CLIENT_INFO is similar in operation to thevariable LANGUAGE, which returns the language of the current session, and is setby the security system to the operating unit designated for the responsibility.

SO_HEADERS_ALL, with its corresponding view SO_HEADERS, is an example ofa Multi-Org partitioned object.

Set of Books A financial reporting entity that uses a particular chart ofaccounts, functional currency, and accounting calendar. OracleGeneral Ledger secures transaction information (journalentries, balances) by set of books. When you use OracleGeneral Ledger, you choose a responsibility that specifies a setof books. You then see information only for that set of books.

Operating Unit An organization that uses Oracle Cash Management, OracleOrder Management and Shipping Execution, Oracle Payables,Oracle Purchasing, and Oracle Receivables. It may be a salesoffice, a division, or a department. An operating unit isassociated with a legal entity. Information is secured byoperating unit for these applications; each user seesinformation only for their operating unit. To run any of theseapplications, you choose a responsibility associated with anorganization classified as an operating unit.

Additional Information: Multiple Organizations in OracleApplications

Note: If accessing data from a Multi-Org partitioned object whenCLIENT.INFO has not been set (for example, from SQL*Plus), usethe _ALL table, not the view.

Data Model 5-5

Multiple Reporting Currencies

Convert to Multi-OrgFor a fresh install, the data model is identical whether you implement Multi-Org ornot. Tables that contain Multi-Org partitioned data use the suffix "_ALL." When youconvert, tables are renamed to use this suffix.

Multi-Org views partition data using CLIENT_INFO. These views are incorporatedinto the normal install and use predefined text.

In Release 11i, you use AD Administration to initially convert seed data andtransaction data to Multi-Org. The AD Administration utility does not change thedata model. When you create a new operating unit, a concurrent program adds theappropriate seed data.

Multiple Reporting CurrenciesThe Multiple Reporting Currencies (MRC) feature allows you to report andmaintain accounting records at the transaction level in more than one functionalcurrency. You do this by defining one or more reporting sets of books, in addition toyour primary set of books.

Functional CurrenciesIn your reporting sets of books, you maintain records in a functional currency otherthan your primary functional currency.

Additional Information: Technical Overview, MultipleOrganizations in Oracle Applications

Additional Information: AD Administration, Oracle ApplicationsMaintenance Utilities

Primary FunctionalCurrency

The currency you use to record transactions and maintainyour accounting data within Oracle Applications. Theprimary functional currency is generally the currency inwhich you perform most of your business transactions andthe one you use for legal reporting.

Reporting FunctionalCurrency

A currency, other than your primary functional currency, forwhich you need to report.



,

You must define a separate set of books for each of your reporting functionalcurrencies. For each set of books you use with MRC, you need to specify which isthe primary set of books and which are the reporting sets of books. You then assignthe reporting sets of books to the primary set of books. You must also define aprimary responsibility to correspond to your primary set of books, and a reportingresponsibility to correspond to each reporting set of books.

Setting Up the Primary ResponsibilityBefore you set up MRC, you need to prepare your database, run the ADAdministration utility to validate and compile your APPS schema, and install theMRC schema.

The primary responsibility is linked to the primary set of books, and each reportingresponsibility is linked to a corresponding reporting set of books. To create anassociation between a reporting responsibility and a reporting set of books, you setthe profile options GL:Set of Books Name and MRC:Reporting Set of Books to thereporting set of books name at the responsibility level.

You assign the primary responsibility to the Standard data group, and the reportingresponsibilities to the MRC data group. The data group determines the tables andprivileges accessible by the associated responsibility. Data groups are used for thefollowing purposes:

Primary Set of Books A financial reporting entity in which you conduct business.The primary set of books uses a particular chart of accounts,accounting calendar, and functional currency (in the primaryset of books, the functional currency is always the primaryfunctional currency).

Reporting Set of Books A financial reporting entity that is associated with a primaryset of books. The reporting set of books has the same chart ofaccounts and accounting calendar as the primary set of booksbut usually has a different functional currency. The reportingset of books allows you to report in a different functionalcurrency than that of your primary set of books.

Additional Information: Setup, Multiple Reporting Currencies inOracle Applications

Additional Information: AD Administration, Oracle ApplicationsMaintenance Utilities

Data Model 5-7


■ To identify the Oracle schema used by a responsibility

■ To tell the concurrent manager which Oracle schema to use when running areport or concurrent program

In your primary responsibility, the Standard data group connects the applicationassociated with the responsibility to the APPS database schema. In a reportingresponsibility, the MRC data group connects the application associated with theresponsibility to the MRC database schema.

The default name of the MRC schema is APPS_MRC. If your APPS schema isnamed something different from the default name of APPS, your MRC schema isnamed according to the following format:

<name of your APPS schema>_MRC

Figure 5–2 MRC Set of Books, Responsibility, and Database Schema Setup



MRC ArchitectureMRC is supported by the following Oracle Applications:

■ Oracle Assets

■ Oracle Cash Management

■ Oracle Cost Management

■ Oracle General Ledger

■ Oracle Global Accounting Engine

■ Oracle Payables

■ Oracle Receivables

■ Oracle Purchasing

■ Oracle Projects

For the subledgers that support MRC, each transaction table in the base schema thathas currency-sensitive information, such as conversion rate and transaction amount,now has an associated MRC subtable. Each record in the base transaction table mayhave one or more MRC subtable records, which contain currency-sensitiveinformation on the base transaction in each associated reporting currency. In theAPPS schema, there are MRC views that provide reporting currency representationsof each base transaction table.

From the APPS_MRC schema, the MRC synonyms that have names identical to thecorresponding APPS Multi-Org views or synonyms point to these MRC views inthe APPS schema. When you view a transaction in a reporting responsibilitythrough these MRC synonyms and the MRC views they point to, you see atransaction representation in the reporting currency associated with thecorresponding reporting set of books.

Attention: MRC can be used in a database even if Multi-OrgArchitecture is not implemented.

Data Model 5-9


Figure 5–3 MRC Architecture

MRC SubtablesFor the subledgers that support MRC, each transaction table in the base schema thathas currency-sensitive information, such as conversion rate and transaction amount,now has an associated MRC subtable.

There is an optional one-to-many relationship between records in a base transactiontable and records in the corresponding MRC subtable. For each transaction recordin the base transaction table, there may be one or more corresponding records in theMRC subtable. Each record is associated with a reporting currency. The primary key



for an MRC subtable is the combination of the primary key of the base transactiontable and the reporting set of books ID.

Figure 5–4 Transaction Table and MRC Subtable

MRC TriggersThere are MRC database triggers associated with each base transaction table.Whenever you insert, update, or delete records from the base transaction tables, theMRC triggers perform the corresponding database action for the associated recordsin the MRC subtables.

For example, when you enter an invoice, Oracle Payables inserts records into AP_INVOICES_ALL and AP_INVOICE_DISTRIBUTIONS_ALL. When Payables insertsthese records, the database triggers in each of the two base transaction tablesexecute and create reporting currency records in the MRC subtables AP_MC_INVOICES and AP_MC_INVOICE_DISTS. See Multiple Reporting Currencies inOracle Applications for information about the MRC subtables and theircorresponding products.

MRC ViewsMRC views provide representations of transactions in each reporting currency. Theyare created in the APPS schema. MRC views show information for only one set ofbooks at a given time. That is, these views retrieve information based on thereporting set of books associated with the responsibility to which the user iscurrently logged on. When you sign on to a responsibility, Oracle Applications setsthe userenv variable based on the profile option MRC: Reporting Set of Books. Thisvariable value is used by the MRC views to show only the information associatedwith your reporting set of books.

Data Model 5-11

Oracle9i Server Organization and Requirements

MRC SynonymsFrom the APPS_MRC schema, the MRC synonyms, which have names identical tothe corresponding APPS Multi-Org views or synonyms, point to these MRC viewsin the APPS schema. When you view a transaction in a reporting responsibilitythrough these MRC synonyms and the MRC views they point to, you see thetransaction represented in the reporting currency associated with the correspondingreporting set of books.

Release 11i uses the Invoker Rights functionality of Oracle9i to ensure that mostpackages are only installed in the APPS schema. The MRC schema, has synonymsto the packages in the APPS schema, and the corresponding packages in the APPSschema have grants to the MRC schema.

Oracle9i Server Organization and RequirementsThis section discusses how the Oracle9i Enterprise Edition database is set up for usewith Oracle Applications. It provides information on tablespaces and explains howthe AutoUpgrade sizing factor controls the amount of database space reserved forOracle Applications products.

During the installation, Rapid Install provides the option of distributing tablespacesacross different disks. This can reduce disk head contention and improve systemresponse time. However, you normally use disk striping on a production system toincrease performance. Refer to your Oracle9i Server documentation for completeinformation about planning a database and tablespaces.

Oracle9i Server TablespacesThe following are recommendations for setting up tablespaces for the Oracle9iServer when upgrading to Release 11i.

SYSTEM TablespaceThis tablespace holds data dictionary tables owned by the SYS account and iscreated when you install the database. You may have to increase its size toaccommodate the growth of data dictionary tables that occurs when you upgradeOracle Applications to Release 11i.

Additional Information: Considerations Before Creating aDatabase, Oracle9i Administrator’s Guide



Rollback TablespaceThe Oracle9i Server uses rollback segments to track database changes until they arecommitted. It uses them during an upgrade of Oracle Applications, as well asduring normal, daily use. Verify that rollback segments are large enough to handleupgrade data volume before running AutoUpgrade.

Temporary TablespacesThe Oracle9i Server uses temporary tablespaces to sort data. You can use onetablespace, such as TEMP, as the temporary tablespace for all Oracle Applicationsproducts. You can also create up to one temporary tablespace for each product,although this is not necessary. Users access Applications objects through the APPSschema, so the temporary tablespace for that schema (initially the same as that forthe Application Object Library) is the tablespace used by each product.

Oracle Applications TablespacesFor a fresh install of Release 11i, Oracle Applications product tablespaces arealready created for your system. The following sections provide information on thetablespaces that are set up. There are table, index, and temporary tablespaces usedby each Oracle Applications product. These tablespaces use local extentmanagement.

Product TablespacesFor each Oracle Applications product, there is a tablespace for tables and anotherone for indexes. Having separate table and index tablespaces for each productmakes it easier to license and maintain products later and may increase databaseperformance under certain circumstances.

Oracle Applications tablespaces have a standard naming convention: D for data orX for indexes is added to the product’s short name or Oracle schema name. Forexample, the tablespaces APD and APX are the tablespaces for Oracle Payablestables and indexes, respectively. For performance reasons, these are created aslocally managed tablespaces using the temporary file option with a uniformallocation size.

Additional Information: Verify rollback segment sizing, UpgradingOracle Applications

Data Model 5-13


Database Block SizeRelease 11i requires an Oracle database blocksize of 8K or larger. In addition toproviding significant performance improvement, Oracle Applications has someindexes that require a minimum blocksize of 8K.

If you are upgrading to 11i and your current system uses a 2K or 4K Oracleblocksize, you must migrate the database to a blocksize of 8K (or larger) before yourun AutoUpgrade.

Sizing FactorA sizing factor sets the extent sizes for dynamic objects such as tables and indexesfor an Oracle Applications product. Its value is a percentage of the defaultestimated growth rate for Applications database objects. You choose a sizing factorfor each product when you run AutoUpgrade. The sizing factor affects only the sizeof next extents, determined by the Oracle9i Server with the NEXT object creationparameter. The NEXT extent size is not applied to existing objects, only to newlycreated objects.

100% Sizing Factor (default)The default sizing factor of 100% creates database objects based on an estimate ofhow the objects grow at a typical site. Most objects are defined with small firstextents and larger additional extents. The NEXT extent sizes vary by object,however.

Objects are created with an initial extent and add extents as necessary. By default,the initial extent is defined as 4 KB for tables and indexes. Oracle uses at least twoblocks when creating objects, so if you created your database using a blocksize of 8KB, for example, the initial storage allocated is at least 16 KB.

The following table shows NEXT extent sizes for two sample tables and two sampleindexes created at 100% and 400% sizing factors. These tables and indexes eachhave an initial extent size of 4 KB.

Suggestion: An Oracle Applications consultant can help youdetermine what sizing factors to choose for your products.

Warning: Do not use a sizing factor of 0%.



Your space usage will vary according to how you use your products. Some tablesmay never grow past their initial extent. Some may grow to several extents.

Table 5–1 Sample Extent Sizes for Sizing Factors

Table/Index Table or Index Name

Next Extent(100%)

Next Extent(400%)

Table AP_AGING_PERIODS 32 KB 128 KB

Index AP_AGING_PERIODS_U1 32 KB 128 KB

Table AR_STATEMENT_LINE_CLUSTERS 1 MB 4 MB

Index AR_STATEMENT_LINE_CLUSTERS_N1 256 KB 1 MB

Data Model 5-15

Glossary

admin server

The server from which the system administrator runs programs that maintain andupdate an Oracle Applications database. For example, AutoUpgrade andAutoPatch are both run on this machine to install, upgrade, or update the databasewhich resides on the database server.

applet

A Java program that is downloaded to a desktop client from an HTTP server, andrun within a Java-enabled web browser.

application servers

Servers that reside in a middle tier, between the desktop clients and database tier.Desktop clients send their requests to application servers, which process the requestor send it to another server, such as the database server. The desktop clients neverconnect directly to the database server. The Forms server and HTTP server are typesof application servers. See also tier.

applmgr

The login used to install and upgrade Oracle Applications. This account owns theOracle Applications product files.

APPS schema

An ORACLE schema that has access to the complete Oracle Applications datamodel.

AutoUpgrade

The Oracle Applications upgrade program.

Glossary-1

background process

A noninteractive process that runs in an operating system environment andperforms a task.

bandwidth

The amount of data that can be sent through a network connection, measured in bitsper second (bps). The speed and capacity of a network depend on both bandwidthand latency. See also latency.

base language

The language used for seed data and setup data for tables that are not structured formulitlingual support.

browser

See Web browser.

certificate file

Contains the identity of a "trusted source" that the desktop client uses to guaranteethe authenticity of a JAR file. Information contained within the certificate file allowsthe desktop client to decrypt the digital signature of a JAR file. If the identity can beconfirmed, the desktop client assumes the JAR file is safe to download and execute.See also digital signature.

character set

A set of encoded binary values that represents the letters, numerals, andpunctuation marks of a language, or of a group of languages that use similarwritten symbols. For example, the WE8ISO8859P1 character set can be used byEnglish and many other languages that use a Latin-based alphabet and Arabicnumerals. Terminals and printers handle text data by converting these encodedvalues to characters. A character set may also be called a codeset.

client/server architecture

A configuration in which one or several servers perform database processing orother functions for applications that are run on clients. Software must be installedon each client before the client can interact with the servers. Client/serverarchitecture is not used by the Oracle E-Business Suite in Release 11i.

codeset

See character set.

Glossary-2

command

An instruction or request for the system to perform a particular action. An entirecommand can consist of the command name, parameters, and qualifiers.

command file

A file containing a predefined sequence of commands to be executed by theoperating system.

concurrency

The simultaneous access of the same data by multiple users.

concurrent manager

A process manager that coordinates the processes generated by users’ requests torun various data-intensive programs. An Oracle Applications product group canhave several concurrent managers.

concurrent process

A task run by a concurrent manager. A concurrent process runs simultaneouslywith interactive functions and other concurrent processes.

concurrent processing server

An Oracle Applications server that runs time-consuming, noninteractive tasks inthe background.

concurrent queue

A list of concurrent requests awaiting completion. Each concurrent manager has itsown queue of pending requests.

concurrent request

A request issued to the concurrent processing server when you submit anoninteractive task, such as running a report.

customization

Enhancements to an Oracle Applications system made to fit the needs of a specificuser community.

data dictionary

A set of database tables and views that contains administrative information aboutusers, data storage, and privileges. It is created and maintained automatically.

Glossary-3

database

A collection of data, stored in tables, and objects, such as stored procedures andtriggers. The term can also refer to the software used to create, store, and managethis data—for example, the Oracle9i server.

database administrator (DBA)

The person who prepares the Oracle9i server and Oracle tools for an installation orupgrade of Oracle Applications, and performs maintenance on them after theinstallation. The DBA has access to the ORACLE SYSTEM and SYS accounts.

database instance

A running ORACLE system. There is always a one-to-one correspondence betweenan ORACLE instance and a system global area (SGA).

database object

A logical entity created and stored in a database. Tables, views, synonyms, indexes,sequences, stored procedures, materialized views, and triggers are all examples ofdatabase objects.

database server

A machine on which the database holding Oracle Applications data resides. Thedatabase server processes SQL and Java requests from other machines, such asForms servers, HTTP servers, and concurrent processing servers.

database space

The amount of disk space used by a set of database objects.

demonstration product group

A product group that includes predefined transaction data for Oracle Applicationsproducts. It is used primarily for system testing and user training. See also productgroup.

dependent product

An Applications product that is not licensed, but whose files are shared in part by afully installed Applications product. A dependent product is also known as a sharedproduct.

desktop client

A computer that sends user requests to the Web server and handles responses suchas screen updates, pop-up lists, graphical widgets, and cursor movements.

Glossary-4

digital signature

A means of guaranteeing the authenticity of a program or collection of data, such asa JAR file. It is typically an encrypted message that contains the identity of thecode’s author. See also certificate file.

distributed concurrent processing

See parallel concurrent processing.

distributed directory structure

Applications product files installed in more than one file system, as when there isinsufficient disk space in a single file system for all Applications product files.

environment file

A command file that sets environment variables. Only servers running UNIX useenvironment files—Windows NT servers use the Windows registry instead.

environment setting

A parameter that controls the behavior of Applications and Applications programsfor your installation. Environment settings are stored as environment variables onUNIX servers and as registry keys or environment variables on Windows servers.

environment variable

A variable maintained by the UNIX shell that can be referenced by any programrunning within the shell. Environment variables hold values used by many Oracleprograms and utilities.

On Windows, a string consisting of environment information, such as a drive, path,or filename, associated with a symbolic name. You use the System option in theControl Panel or the set command from the Windows command prompt to defineenvironment variables.

Export utility

An Oracle9i server utility used to write database data to operating system filesexternal to the database. These files can then be used with the Import utility to readthe data back into the same database or into a different one.

extension

The second part, or suffix, of a filename, used to indicate the type or purpose of thefile. For example, the extension .sql indicates a SQL*Plus script. See also filename.

Glossary-5

form

A logical collection of fields, regions, and graphical components that appears on asingle screen. Oracle Applications Forms resemble paper forms used to run abusiness. You enter data by typing information into the form.

Forms client

A Java applet that runs on a desktop client and provides the user interface andinteraction with a Forms server.

Forms server

A type of application server that hosts the Forms server engine. It mediates betweenthe desktop client and the database, providing input screens for the Forms-basedproducts on the desktop client and creating or changing database records based onuser actions.

functional currency

In Multiple Reporting Currencies, a currency other than your primary currency.

Gigabyte (GB)

A unit of memory or disk space equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes. One Gigabyte is equalto 1,024 Megabytes. Often rounded to 1,000,000,000 bytes.

GUI (Graphical User Interface)

An interface used with personal computers and workstations that allows the user toaccess fields and regions of the screen with a pointing device, typically a mouse.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

A simple language used to format documents, predominantly for viewing with aWeb browser. Portions of text or images, called hypertext, can be associated withother documents.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

The TCP/IP-based network protocol used to transmit requests and documentsbetween an HTTP server and a Web browser.

HTTP listener

A program on an HTTP server that accepts and processes incoming HTTP requestsfrom Web browsers.

Glossary-6

HTTP server

An application server that runs an HTTP listener, and sends out Web pages inresponse to HTTP requests from remote browsers. See HTTP listener, Web browser.

Import utility

An Oracle9i server utility used to read operating system files written by the Exportutility. You use it to restore data into a database.

index

A database object associated with a table and used by the Oracle9i server to locaterows of that table quickly.

initialization parameters

Parameters defined in an initialization file that configure an Oracle9i serverdatabase. The parameters affect how the database performs.

Internal concurrent manager

A concurrent manager process that monitors, controls, and dispenses requests to allother concurrent manager processes.

intranet

A network of computers that are internal to a company. A company’s intranet isbasically a local extension to the globally-distributed Internet, which is a globalinterconnected network of computers and smaller computer networks.

Java

A computing language used to produce programs that can be downloaded and runon a desktop client using a Web browser. It is also used to produceplatform-independent programs that run on a server, either interactively or wheninvoked through a request from a Web browser. See also applet and servlet.

JAR (Java Archive) file

A collection of Java classes compressed into a file for faster download to a desktopclient.

Java class

Components of a Java program that define objects and operations performed onobjects. Java class also identifies an operating system file that contains a program orpart of a program written in Java.

Glossary-7

JDBC (Java Database Connectivity)

A Java programming interface that enables Java programs to access the Oracle9iserver.

JVM (Java Virtual Machine)

An interpreter that translates a compiled Java program, called bytecode, to machinecode. JVM makes Java portable, because each operating system’s JVM translatesbytecode to instructions that the microprocessor can execute. A Java-enabled webbrowser has an internal JVM that allows it to execute applets or applications writtenin Java.

LAN (Local Area Network)

A limited-distance, high-speed, data communications network that allows variousdata processing resources to be connected and shared. A LAN is a networkcontained within a single physical site (one or more buildings), as opposed to aWAN. See also WAN.

latency

In networking, the amount of time it takes a packet of data to travel from a source toits destination. The speed and capacity of a network depend on both bandwidthand latency. See also bandwidth.

load balancing

Distributing tasks to the server that is least busy when several servers are handlingthe same workload. Using load balancing, the HTTP server connects the Formsclient to the Forms server that has the lightest load. This server is called the "leastloaded host."

LOCAL

Under Windows, an environment setting that identifies the network alias of anORACLE instance running on the local machine or on another networked machine.This variable overrides any setting for ORACLE_SID and causes the Net8 softwareto manage the connection request. See also ORACLE_SID and TWO_TASK.

log in

To perform a sequence of actions that establishes communication with the operatingsystem or a secured program, such as the Oracle9i Server or Oracle Applications,and sets up default characteristics for the session.

Glossary-8

Megabyte (MB)

A unit of memory or disk space equal to 1,048,576 bytes (1024 x 1024). Oftenrounded to one million bytes.

Multiple Organization Architecture (Multi-Org)

A single installation of any Oracle Applications product to support any number oforganizations or different sets of books. The data contained in product schemas isfor all organizations, and is partitioned by the ORG_ID column in tables.

Multiple Reporting Currency (MRC)

An Oracle Applications feature that allows you to create, maintain, and report onaccounting records at the transaction level in more than one functional currency.

Net8

The Oracle product that enables network connectivity between a client machine andthe Oracle9i server. Net8 manages communication sessions between these machinesby opening and closing sessions and by packaging and sending SQL statements anddata responses.

NLS (National Language Support)

Oracle's National Language Support (NLS) allows you to store, process, andretrieve data in the language native to your users. It ensures that database utilitiesand error messages, sort order, date, time, monetary, numeric, and calendarconventions automatically adapt to the native language and locale. NLS involvesoperation in only one language per installation.

node

A stand-alone machine or a machine connected to the network.

operating system

The computer software that performs basic tasks such as allocating memory andallowing computer components to communicate.

ORACLE

An Oracle9i server database. This generally refers to a database and the objects itcontains, not to the Oracle9i server product files.

ORACLE_HOME

An environment setting that specifies the top directory for Oracle9i server programfiles.

Glossary-9

ORACLE schema

See schema.

Oracle9i server

The database management system used by Release 11i. The term refers in general tothe product files or the ORACLE instances created using these files.

ORACLE_SID

An environment setting that identifies an ORACLE instance running on the currentmachine. See also TWO_TASK and LOCAL.

ORACLE user ID

A username and password used to access an ORACLE instance.

parallel concurrent processing

In a UNIX environment, distribution of concurrent processes among multipleconcurrent processing servers. Also called distributed concurrent processing.

password

An identification word, associated with your username, that you must supply toaccess an ORACLE instance or an Oracle Applications system.

platform

The underlying structure of a computer system, including hardware and software,on which application programs run. The hardware component includes themicroprocessor, which is the microchip that performs logic operations and datamanagement. The software component includes the operating system, which is thecomputer system's coordinating program. Sun SPARC Solaris is an example of aplatform. Some Oracle Applications functionality is platform-specific, meaning itsbehavior may differ on other platforms.

PL/SQL

A procedural extension of SQL that provides programming constructs such asblocks, conditionals, and functions.

primary functional currency

The currency you use to record transactions and maintain your accounting datawithin Oracle Applications.

Glossary-10

primary set of books

A financial reporting entity in which you conduct business.

Pro*C/C++

An Oracle precompiler product that allows developers to embed standard databasecalls to an ORACLE database in C and C++ programs.

product group

A set of Oracle Applications product schemas linked together by a single OracleApplication Object Library schema.

registry

A Windows database that holds configuration information. During installation,Oracle Applications writes data to the registry. You can also edit the registry directlywith the Registry Editor (regedt32.exe).

registry key

A folder that appears in the left pane of the Registry Editor window. A key cancontain subkeys and value entries. For example: Environment is a key of HKEY_CURRENT_USER. See also subkey.

registry subkey

A key within a key. Subkeys are analogous to subdirectories in the registryhierarchy. Keys and subkeys are similar to the section heading in .ini files; howeversubkeys can carry out functions. Oracle Applications stores important informationabout a product group in a registry subkey. See also registry key and registry.

report

An organized display of Oracle Applications information. A report can be viewedonline or sent to a printer. The content of a report can range from a summary to acomplete listing of values.

Report Review Agent

A tool used by Oracle Applications to view concurrent processing files online.

reporting functional currency

A currency, other than your primary functional currency, for which you need togenerate reports.

Glossary-11

reporting set of books

A financial reporting entity that is associated with a primary set of books. It has thesame chart of accounts and accounting calendar, but usually a different functionalcurrency.

reserved word

A word that has a special meaning to any computer program. Custom-builtprograms that integrate with Oracle Applications must not use reserved words.

responsibility

A collection of functions within an Oracle Application. Each Applications user isassigned one or more responsibilities to allow them access to Applications Forms.

rollback segment

A set of entries used to undo changes in the database in the event of transactionrollback, crash, or media recovery.

rollback tablespace

A tablespace created for rollback segments.

RPC (Remote Procedure Call)

A protocol that allows a client to execute a program on a server. The client sends amessage to the server with appropriate arguments and the server returns a messagecontaining the program’s results.

schema

An ORACLE account or ORACLE ID.

servlet

A Java program executed on an HTTP server, rather than downloaded to a desktopclient. See also applet.

setup data

Company-specific configuration data, such as locations, freight terms, and paymentterms. You create this data when initially configuring an Oracle Applicationsproduct.

Glossary-12

SGA (System Global Area)

A reserved section of main memory that provides communication between alldatabase users and the ORACLE background processes.

shared product

See dependent product.

short name

An abbreviation for an Oracle Applications product (such as gl for Oracle GeneralLedger).

sizing factor

An integer that determines the growth rate, as a percentage of their defaults, for thedatabase objects of an Oracle Applications product.

SQL (Structured Query Language)

An internationally standard language used to access data in a relational database.The acronym is pronounced “sequel.”

SQL script

A file containing SQL statements that you run with a tool such as SQL*Plus toquery or update ORACLE data.

subdirectory

A directory that is contained within another directory.

synonym

An alias for a table, view, sequence, or program unit that masks the real name andowner of the object, provides public access to the object, and simplifies SQLstatements for database users.

syntax

The orderly system by which commands, qualifiers, and parameters are arrangedtogether to form valid command strings.

SYS username

One of two standard DBA usernames automatically created with each database (theother is SYSTEM). SYS owns the base data dictionary tables and views. See alsoSYSTEM username.

Glossary-13

SYS.DUAL table

A necessary table in any relational database. SYS.DUAL contains exactly one row,and is used as a "dummy" table in a SQL statement to return values that are notstored in tables, such as constant values, evaluations of arithmetic expressions, orsystem values like the current date.

system administrator

The person who manages administrative tasks in Oracle Applications, such asregistering new users and defining system printers, using the system administratorresponsibility.

SYSTEM schema

See SYSTEM username.

SYSTEM tablespace

Holds data dictionary tables owned by the SYS account. It is created when youinstall the database.

SYSTEM username

One of two standard usernames automatically created with each database (the otheris SYS). The SYSTEM username is the preferred username to use when performingdatabase maintenance. See also SYS username.

table

The basic unit of storage in a relational database management system. A tablerepresents entities and relationships, and consists of one or more units ofinformation (rows), each of which contains the same kinds of values (columns).

tablespace

A logical portion of an ORACLE database used to allocate storage for data and togroup related logical structures. For example, one tablespace may contain all of oneOracle Applications product’s database tables and indexes.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol)

A widely-used industry-standard networking protocol used for communicationamong computers.

temporary tablespace

A tablespace used when a SQL statement requires the creation of temporarysegments (for example, the creation of an index).

Glossary-14

TWO_TASK

Under UNIX, an environment setting that identifies the network alias of anORACLE instance running on the local machine or on another networked machine.This variable overrides any setting for ORACLE_SID and causes the Net8 softwareto manage the connection request. See also ORACLE_SID and LOCAL.

user ID

The combination of a username and its password.

username

A name that grants access to a secure environment or program, such as an ORACLEdatabase or Oracle Applications. A username is customarily associated with acollection of privileges and data available to a particular user (responsibilities inOracle Applications). Every username is associated with a password.

view

A custom-tailored presentation of the data in one or more tables. A view can bethought of as a "stored query."

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A communications network that connects geographically separated areas. See alsoLAN.

Web browser

A program running on a desktop client that views documents formatted in HTMLand runs Java applets. A Web browser sends requests to a HTTP server using aspecial protocol (HTTP) to retrieve documents and Java applets. See HTTP listener,HTTP server.

Glossary-15

Glossary-16

Index
Symbols_ALL, 5-5_TOP environment setting, 4-14
Numerics8.0.6 ORACLE_HOME, 4-139.2.0 ORACLE_HOME, 4-3, 4-13

Aaccessibility

statement of, xadadmin, 1-15, 4-11adaimgr, 4-11adconfig.txt file, 4-16Admin server

description, 1-15adovars.env file, 4-11, 4-16

parameters, 4-16adpatch, 1-15, 4-11APPCPNAM environment setting, 4-14APPL_TOP

directory, 4-6directory and upgrades, 4-7distributing across disks, 4-12environment setting in .env, 4-14

APPLCSF environment setting, 4-14APPLDCP environment setting, 4-14APPLFENV environment setting, 4-14Application Object Library directory (fnd), 4-11application tier

components, 1-4

definition, 1-1load balancing, 1-5

Applications Utilities directory, 4-11APPLLOG environment setting, 4-14APPLOUT environment setting, 4-14APPLPTMP environment setting, 4-15, 4-16APPLTMP environment setting, 4-14, 4-15APPS schema

and base product schemas, 5-2benefits of using, 5-3custom schema access, 5-3data access, 5-4overview, 5-2

APPS.env file, 4-6, 4-13apps.zip file, 4-5AU_TOP environment setting, 4-14AutoUpgrade

location, 4-11

BBIS

see Business Intelligence SystemBusiness Intelligence System

description, 1-12

Ccharacter sets

difficult to change, 3-2, 3-4multibyte, 3-3on database tier, 3-2on desktop tier, 3-4

CLIENT_INFO, 5-5

Index-1

code examplesaccessibility of, x

COMMON_TOP directory, 4-4contents, 4-4

concurrent managers, 1-11log and output directories, 4-4

concurrent processingaccessing output, 1-12controlling the size of files, 1-12description, 1-11log and output files, 1-12

Concurrent processing serverdescription, 1-11

concurrent requestsdefinition, 1-11

consolidated environment filesee APPS.env file

core technology directories, 4-11distributing across disks, 4-12

cost-based optimization, 2-4country-specific functionality, 3-5customizations

custom schema access, 5-3data access, 5-4

DDATA directory, 4-3database home, 4-3Database Resource Manager, 2-5Database tier

description, 1-16date formats, 3-5DB directory, 4-3desktop tier, 1-2

definition, 1-1devenv.env file, 4-17disabled community

support for, xDiscoverer server, 1-12

description, 1-14End User Layer, 1-14

documentation accessibility, x

EE-Business Suite Home Page, 2-1End User Layer, 1-14environment files

adconfig.txt, 4-16adovars.env, 4-16APPS.env, 4-13dbname.env, 4-13devenv.env, 4-17fndenv.env, 4-17

environment settings, 4-13environment setup files, 4-13external documents, 3-4

Ffile types, 4-9FND_TOP environment setting, 4-14fndenv.env file, 4-17FNDNAM environment setting, 4-14Forms, 1-4Forms client applet

description, 1-3Forms server

architecture, 1-9communication with database server, 1-9communication with desktop client, 1-9description, 1-9load balancing, 1-10

Forms service, 1-1FORMS60_MAPPING environment setting, 4-15

Ggrants

between user IDs, 5-1GRAPHICS60_PATH environment setting, 4-15GWYUID environment setting, 4-14

HHTTP home directory, 4-3HTTP service, 1-1

Index-2

IiAS directory, 4-3iAS ORACLE_HOME, 4-13Internal Concurrent Manager

definition, 1-11Invoker Rights, 2-5

JJAR files, 1-3, 4-1, 4-5

location, 1-3when downloaded, 1-3

Java archive filessee JAR files

Java Server Page (JSP), 1-7Java servlet

access with Oracle Self-ServiceApplications, 1-7

Java servlet engine, 1-6JAVA_TOP environment setting, 4-5JAWS

code examples, xJInitiator

see Oracle JInitiatorJSP files, 4-5

Llanguage support, 3-1

in earlier releases, 3-1load balancing, 1-5

Forms server, 1-10Metrics server, 1-10

log files, 4-4

Mmain Oracle Applications environment file, 4-13

key parameters, 4-13materialized views, 2-6Metrics server, 1-10MRC (Multiple Reporting Currencies), 3-6

illustration of architecture, 5-10illustration of setup, 5-8overview, 5-6

overview of architecture, 5-9setting up primary responsibility for, 5-7synonyms, 5-12transaction table/subtable illustration, 5-11triggers, 5-11views, 5-11

multilingual support, 3-2multiple Oracle_Homes, 4-3Multiple Organization Architecture

_ALL, 5-5changes from Release 10.6, 5-6CLIENT_INFO, 5-5ORG_ID, 5-5overview, 5-4partitioned objects, 5-5patching, 5-6SO_HEADERS_ALL, 5-5

Multiple Reporting Currenciessee MRC

Multiple Sets of Books Architecture (MSOBA), 2-5

NNational Language Support

see NLSNLS

default date and number formats, 3-7language profile option, 3-7profile options, 3-7release, 3-4territory profile option, 3-7

NLS and application serversearlier releases, 3-6in Release11i, 3-6

NLS settings, 3-7NLS settings and the Personal Homepage, 3-7NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment setting, 4-15NLS_LANG environment setting, 4-15NLS_NUMERIC_CHARACTERS environment

setting, 4-15number formats, 3-5

OOA Framework Architecture, 1-8

Index-3

OA_HTML environment setting, 4-5operating unit

definition of, 5-5ORA directory, 4-3Oracle Applications Architecture, 1-1Oracle Applications Manager, 2-2Oracle Enterprise Manager

Oracle Applications Manager, 2-2Oracle HTTP server, 1-5, 4-3

components of, 1-5Oracle JInitiator

description, 1-4Oracle Self-Service Applications

architecture, 1-6files, 4-5Java servlet access, 1-7OA Framework Architecture, 1-8

ORACLE user IDoverview, 5-1

ORACLE_HOME8.0.6, 4-39.2.0, 4-3database, 4-3Oracle HTTP Server, 4-3

Oracle9icost-based optimization, 2-4Database Resource Manager, 2-5Invoker Rights, 2-5materialized views, 2-6partitioned tables, 2-5

Oracle9i Serveroverview, 5-12tablespaces, 5-12

ORG_ID, 5-5output files, 4-4

Ppartitioned objects

in Multi-Org, 5-5partitioned tables, 2-5PATH

environment setting, 4-14Personal Homepage and NLS settings, 3-7PLATFORM environment setting, 4-14

PL/SQL output fileslocation, 4-15

primary functional currencydefinition of, 5-6

primary responsibilitysetting up for MRC, 5-7

primary set of booksdefinition of, 5-7

PROD_TOP directorycontents, 4-7definition, 4-7

product groupsmultiple in separate databases, 5-1

product top directorysee PROD_TOP directory

Product Update Notes, 2-1

RRapid Install Portal, 4-5Real Application Clusters (RAC), 2-6Report Review Agent, 1-12reporting functional currency

definition of, 5-6reporting set of books

definition of, 5-7Reports server, 1-12

architecture, 1-13clustering and load management, 1-14description, 1-13language selection, 1-13language support, 1-14

REPORTS60_TMP environment setting, 4-15rollback tablespace, 5-13

Sservice, 1-1servlet engine, 1-6

in Oracle Self-Service Applications, 1-5set of books

definition of, 5-5sizing factor

100%, 5-14overview, 5-14

Index-4

sample extent sizes, 5-15SO_HEADERS_ALL, 5-5SYSTEM tablespace, 5-12

Ttablespaces

setting up for products, 5-13technology stack home directory, 4-3temporary tablespaces, 5-13third-party utilities

location, 4-5three-tier architecture, 1-1tier

definition, 1-1

UUnicode, 3-1UTF8, 3-1

on application tier, 3-3utl_file_dir parameter, 4-15, 4-16

WWeb Review Agent, 1-12Web server

description, 1-5Web sites

accessibility to external, xi

Index-5

Index-6

Oracle Applications 11i Concepts_new

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